Lake Mead
Historic US reservoir, formed by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River.
Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States, located in Nevada and Arizona, 24 miles east of Las Vegas. Once the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity, it has since been surpassed by Lake Powell; it still provides water to Arizona, California, Nevada, and parts of Mexico, sustaining nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Clark County, Nevada and Mohave County, Arizona
- Lake Type
- Reservoir
- Inflow
- Colorado River, Virgin River
- Outflow
- Colorado River
- Countries
- United States
- Date Flooded
- 1935-09-30 by the Hoover Dam
- Length
- 120 mi
- Area
- 247 mi2
- Max Depth
- 532 ft
- Volume
- Maximum: 26134000 acre.ft
- Shore
- 759 mi
- Elevation
- Maximum: 1229 ft
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lake Mead was created by the Hoover Dam as part of the Boulder Canyon Project, named after Elwood Mead, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1924 to 1936. The area was formerly settled by Ancestral Puebloans, and many archaeological sites, including the 'Lost City,' were submerged. The lake was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936, later renamed Lake Mead National Recreation Area in 1947. The accumulated water forced evacuation of several communities, most notably St. Thomas, Nevada, whose last resident left in 1938; its ruins became visible again due to low water levels as of May 23, 2022.
Reader's Guide
Lake Mead has remained below full capacity since 1983 due to drought and increased water demand. It fell to its lowest level since original filling on August 7, 2026 (elevation 1,040.40 ft), reaching 1,038.83 feet by August 31, 2026. The lake receives most of its water from snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains, moderated by Glen Canyon Dam. Outflow, including evaporation and deliveries, generally exceeds inflow by about 1.2 million acre-feet annually, leading to a net deficit. The lake's declining levels have triggered drought restrictions and water conservation measures, with levels rising 16 feet by December 2024 before falling again in 2026. Its significance lies in its role as a critical water source for millions and its vulnerability to climate and demand pressures.
More in Great Lakes Of The World 1-24
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