The North American monsoon could bring welcome rain to parts of the drought-hit Southwest this summer but forecasters and water specialists warn it is unlikely to meaningfully reverse the crisis gripping Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The total Colorado River system storage was 33 percent of capacity, down from 39 percent a year earlier. The agency projected Lake Powell at around 3,508 feet and Lake Mead at around 1,037 feet by the end of the calendar year. Miller told Newsweek that: "The Colorado River system as a whole is at only about 33 percent capacity. But for Lake Mead and Lake Powell, forecasters and water experts suggest the crisis will remain driven by the same larger forces: Poor snowpack, reduced runoff, long-term aridity and continued pressure on the Colorado River.