Updated: April 17, 2021 22:31 IST Water levels in the Lake Powell and Lake Mead are expected to plummet low enough for the agency to declare an official shortage for the first time, threatening the supply of Colorado River water. Share Article AAA File photo: Lake Mead near Hoover Dam that impounds Colorado River water at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona. | Photo Credit: AP Water levels in the Lake Powell and Lake Mead are expected to plummet low enough for the agency to declare an official shortage for the first time, threatening the supply of Colorado River water. The man-made lakes that store water supplying millions of people in the U.S. West and Mexico are projected to shrink to historic lows in the coming months, dropping to levels that could trigger the federal government's first-ever official shortage declaration and prompt cuts in Arizona and Nevada.