What happens to Hoover Dam when Lake Mead dries up?

The Hoover Dam relies on a steady water supply from Lake Mead. Without enough water, the dam would not be able to generate power. This would have ripple effects on the power grid and the economy, as the dam provides power to several states in the southwest United States.



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Although a physical collapse is not likely, officials believe that Lake Mead's water levels could reach what is known as the dead pool in just a few years. If this were to happen, it would mean no hydropower, no water supply, and all operations dependent on the dam would cease.

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If the Hoover Dam shuts down, it will have a ripple effect in the states of Nevada, Arizona, and California. There will be less water to go around, power will have to come from less clean sources, and all industries will be impacted some way or another.

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The Dam Future While the dam is expected to last for centuries, engineers predict the structure could last for more than 10,000 years, surpassing most remnants of human civilization if humans were to disappear from the earth.

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Key Points. Lake Mead has dropped by 70% due to droughts in the West and it will take many years to refill again, naturally. The reservoir is vitally important to millions of people as a source of water, electricity, and recreation.

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Most of our rainwater travels untreated through gutters, storm drains, channels, washes and eventually into the major source of our drinking water - Lake Mead. All storm drains lead to lake mead. Stormwater that falls in the Las Vegas Valley picks up pollutants and travels untreated to Lake Mead.

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Lake Mead's water level continues to fall to historic lows, bringing the reservoir less than 150 feet away from “dead pool” — so low that water cannot flow downstream from the dam. The loss of water entirely from this source would be catastrophic.

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“Although every drop counts, the reality is that the rain we received from Tropical Storm Hilary and runoff into the tributaries that enter Lake Mead as well as reduced releases from Hoover Dam — due to a decrease in downstream demand — has had some minor impact on the lake's elevation,” according to U.S. Bureau of ...

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The last time Lake Mead was at maximum capacity, reaching an elevation of about 1,220 feet near the dam, was in 1983 and 1999, NASA notes.

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Six years after the dam's construction, the lake filled to an elevation of 1200 feet. At lower water levels, a high-water mark, or bathtub ring, is visible in photos that show the shoreline of Lake Mead.

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