Lake Mead did not exist before the construction of the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam impounds the Colorado River, forming Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the United States by volume.
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The main contributors to Lake Mead's decreased water levels, besides population growth leading to depletion, include drought and climate change. Lake Mead and surrounding areas have been plagued by drought over the last few years. For instance, 83% of Colorado is experiencing drought at this moment.
What happens if Lake Mead dries up forever? If Lake Mead were to run out of water, the Hoover Dam would no longer be able to generate power or provide water to surrounding cities and farms. The Colorado River would essentially stop flowing, and the Southwest would be in a major water crisis.
There are many places to swim in the bright blue waters of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Be aware that there are no lifeguards in the park. Always wear a life jacket. Most fatalities at Lake Mead National Recreation Area could have been avoided if the person in the water was wearing a life jacket.
As crazy as it sounds, engineers say the idea is technically feasible. It would involve building a system of dams and pipelines to move the water uphill across multiple states over the Continental Divide. Gravity would then work in our favor to drop the water down to the Colorado River watershed.
“While the amount of precipitation received in the lower basin and from tributary inflows helps, the greatest source of water for Lake Mead is still snow melt and flows from the upper basin.”
The Dam FutureWhile 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.
Investments to enhance system conservation and improved hydrology have led to significant improvements for Lake Mead this year, the federal government announced Tuesday, after the lake hit historic lows last year and the remains of several bodies were found.
Hoover Dam was built for a cost of $49 million (approximately $760 million adjusted for inflation). The power plant and generators cost an additional $71 million. The sale of electrical power generated by the dam paid back its construction cost, with interest, by 1987.