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Cutting water usage from the shrinking colorado river. lake mead is 25 miles from the las vegas strip, and it provides water to millions of people. right now it's at only 27% capacity. cnn's bill weir is there for us tonight. walk us through how low these water levels are. >> reporter: it's so staggering. even if you haven't been out here in a couple of years, anderson, to see how far it's gone back. this was the water line in 2008. this is where that marina that's way in the distance was back then. it's a long walk to the top of the hill up there, is where the drought started in the year 2000...

19 inches, but it's still 25 feet lower than it was at this point last year. we're getting dangerously close to deadpool here, anderson. you can't send any water downstream, it wouldn't generate any power. it would have huge economic implications. the mission in the year term is to try to save the system in the next couple of years. and to talk about the infrastructure projects we'll need to keep people alive in this new world. >> how are officials trying to cut water usage? >> reporter: that's some encouragement not to water in the middle of the day. maybe think about tearing up your lawn. bu...

Is so dire that we're beyond remedying it with conservation. you say as the population has increased, southern nevada reduced its water use by 26% in the last two decades. that's a good thing, but you say conservation at this point is not enough. what more needs to be done, urgently enough to address this dw growing crisis? >> well, for starters, we need to get away from thinking about this as a drought. a drought is a temporary phenomenon, this is long-term for the southwest and we need to adapt our institutions and our water usage to the realities they're going to be less water in the wester...

And economic crises that only further fuel the fierce debate over the afghanistan war and its calamitous ending. a debate that will continue long past this first anniversary. alex marquard, cnn, washington. >> when we come back parts of the southwest united states facing a potential catastrophic collapse of their water supply. unless they take drastic measures and reduce water usage. here is the details. when we return. allergies don't have to be scary. sprayiying flonase daily stos your body from overreacacting to allergens al season long. psst! psst! flonase alall goo. when you find your rea...

Designated tier-two water shortage. the designation means arizona, nevada, as well as mexico, will have to further cut back on water use from the new mexican so colorado river cnn has more. >> reporter: millions of americans, bracing for painful water cuts . >> if we don't get water, how can we keep going? >> reporter: a mega job, draining rivers and lakes throughout the southwest. lake meade, the nation's largest reservoir, at its lowest water level on record. the drought, threatening hydropower at the hoover dam. now, approaching its lowest point, to be able to produce power. upstream, lake ...