This depth, coupled with very clear water, sunny skies and lots of dissolved minerals, gives the lake its signature blue color. Lake Mead is an extremely clear lake.
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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.
But while Lake Mead has filled up slightly since its low point of July 2022, the Bureau of Reclamation anticipates that the water levels will start to decline again come spring. A Bureau of Reclamation study published in January predicted that Lake Mead could reach a new all-time low in 2023.
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.
Water taken directly from Lake Mead, the Colorado River or the underground water table isn't safe for people to drink, but those are the sources of Southern Nevada's drinking water. Before it hits a glass, Las Vegas Valley's water must run through two Southern Nevada Water Authority facilities.
Mead reaches dead pool at 895 feet. If Lake Powell reaches dead pool, the US Bureau of Reclamation—which declined our interview requests—would be unable to meet its obligation to deliver water downstream to Lake Mead. In which case, 40 million people would be affected.
The consumption or direct possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person operating a vehicle or vessel is prohibited. Glass bottles and Styrofoam are prohibited in the park.
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.
While not a persistent, widespread problem, the “Swimmer's Itch” parasite is believed to be present in lakes Mead and Mohave. While found in warm, shallow waters anywhere from only a few weeks to an entire summer, the parasite is not a life-threatening concern, but one that can cause some discomfort.
Mead reaches dead pool at 895 feet. If Lake Powell reaches dead pool, the US Bureau of Reclamation—which declined our interview requests—would be unable to meet its obligation to deliver water downstream to Lake Mead. In which case, 40 million people would be affected.
In October 2022, another set of human remains were found in the receding waters of Lake Mead. It was the sixth time they found dead bodies in the vanishing water. The National Park Service verified that a diver's discovery of a human bone led a dive team from the park to the location of the skeletal remains.
Dead pool is when the water above the dam is so low that no water passes through it. If dead pool were reached, it would be a catastrophe. Much of life in the southwest U.S. exists as we know it due to the Hoover Dam—and dead pool would cause all its operations to cease.
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.
It's worrying to see the lake's water level decline but the chances of it fully drying up are very slim. The Hoover Dam and Lake Mead still do so much important work for the southwest USA, in terms of both water supply and power generation.