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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Lake Mead supplies water for residents of 3 states plus Mexico. Now it’s sinking to record lows

    The combination of heat and drought is putting a huge strain on the state’s water supply, and Governor Gavin Newsom is asking residents to voluntarily cut back on water consumption.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Jul 13, 2021 • 6m Listen

    The combination of heat and drought is putting a huge strain on the state’s water supply, and Governor Gavin Newsom is asking residents to voluntarily cut back on water consumption. People across California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico all get their water from Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir that sits at the Arizona-Nevada border. Right now, it’s only 35% full — a level not seen since the reservoir was filled during the 1930s after the construction of Hoover Dam.

    The full episode

    1 of 5
    Nation’s largest reservoir hits record low. What does that mean for West Coast residents?
    1. 0:00Lake Mead supplies water for residents of 3 states plus Mexico. Now it’s sinking to record lowsYou’re reading this
    2. 7:00A billion sea animals died during recent West Coast heat waves, including mussels, starfish, crabs
    3. 14:42Trump sues Facebook, Twitter, and Google, claiming they violated his First Amendment rights
    4. 24:05To reduce burnout and boost productivity, could the US move to a 4-day work week?
    5. 32:41From internet sensation to global icon: How Lil Nas X is navigating music as a gay artist
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Angie Perrin

      Producer, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jaweed Kaleem

      education reporter for the Los Angeles Times

      NewsEnvironmentClimate changeCalifornia

    The full episode

    1 of 5
    Nation’s largest reservoir hits record low. What does that mean for West Coast residents?
    1. 0:00Lake Mead supplies water for residents of 3 states plus Mexico. Now it’s sinking to record lowsYou’re reading this
    2. 7:00A billion sea animals died during recent West Coast heat waves, including mussels, starfish, crabs
    3. 14:42Trump sues Facebook, Twitter, and Google, claiming they violated his First Amendment rights
    4. 24:05To reduce burnout and boost productivity, could the US move to a 4-day work week?
    5. 32:41From internet sensation to global icon: How Lil Nas X is navigating music as a gay artist
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand