Lake Mead, one of the most critical water sources in the country, is at dangerously low levels and federal employees are struggling to manage the depleted reserves. The Las Vegas-area lake has been held in place by the Hoover Dam since the 1930s, and many thousands of homes, farms, and businesses in the Southwest depend on its water to survive. But America’s largest reservoir may be in jeopardy. Two decades ago, Lake Mead was 98 percent full, but thanks to a years-long drought, it has dropped to only 38 percent full. VICE News went to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam to speak with the Bureau of Reclamation, the government body that regulates and controls the water for much of the drought-stricken Southwest. Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com/ Follow VICE News here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews Tumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo