BOULDER CITY, Nev. — The Bureau of Reclamation urges boaters and other recreational users to exercise increased caution on Lake Mohave throughout fall and early winter as planned seasonal water level reductions create unusually shallow areas and shifting river conditions.
Lake Mohave will steadily decline to an elevation of about 637 feet by October 5. These annual operational adjustments help Reclamation prepare for potential inflow from winter storms below Hoover Dam. Lake Mohave is expected to return to elevations above 641 feet msl during January 2027.
Boaters should be alert for changing shorelines, exposed hazards, and shallower‑than‑normal conditions, particularly downstream of Hoover Dam. Reclamation recommends slower speeds, extra caution during launching and landing, and close attention to updated navigational information during this period.
In addition to supporting safe operations, the seasonal drawdown provides important access for conservation partners working to protect razorback suckers, a threatened species native to the Colorado River. The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program uses the lower lake levels to efficiently reach lakeside rearing ponds, where juvenile razorback suckers are grown each year. Administered by Reclamation, the program transfers juvenile fish from state and federal hatcheries each spring; in the fall, they are collected from the ponds, tagged with microchips, and released back into Lake Mohave to support long‑term species conservation.
Lake Mohave is located above Davis Dam on the Colorado River near Laughlin, Nevada. Updated information on water levels at Lake Mohave and other Lower Colorado River reservoirs is located at https://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html under “Current Conditions.” For current recreational information, visit the National Park Service website at https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/news/lakeconditions.html.
