Decline in Lake Mead Water Levels and Drought in Las Vegas?

[Robert L.]

Hi All, just read this article about water resources being depleted for Las Vegas.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hoover-dams-lake-mead-hits-lowest-water-level-1930s-180978022/

Declining water levels has been a problem for a few years now in Las Vegas.  Is real estate investment in Las Vegas in danger if there is not enough water to support population expansion, etc? Thanks.

[Account Closed]

@Ginger Carr I cam across some information about Lake Las Vegas that I thought was interesting: "The lake was built in the channel of the Las Vegas Wash — the valley's only storm runoff outlet. A bypass was built for the wash beneath the reservoir and dam allowing it to remain connected to Lake Mead via two 96-inch diameter pipes. The bypass is a flood control measure, allowing flood waters to be diverted under the lake into Lake Mead with the rest absorbed by Lake Las Vegas, itself. After falling into substantial disrepair, the pipes — which are owned by the city of Henderson, but maintained by the resort — were repaired in 2009 at a cost of $3 million." 

I found the info on Wikepedia this morning because I was still curious about your question 6 months later! 

Whenever you make it to Vegas next I recommend heading over to The Clark County Wetlands Park. The park is on the east side of the Las Vegas valley and runs from the various water treatment plants near the natural beginning of the Las Vegas Wash to where the wash flows under Lake Las Vegas and later into Lake Mead. The visitor center has displays on how the washes have been built over the years to avoid damage from flash floods.

Even those these washes have been built some streets and intersections still flood with water during monsoons. If you've never experienced a flash flood in Vegas they are intense. This local news video will give you a glimpse of the flash flood exhibit at the Springs Preserve along with showing you some images of flash floods in the suburbs of Vegas and near the strip. I was caught driving during a flash flood back in 2010 and then again in 2021 and they are no joke.