Lake Mead and Las Vegas
Lake Mead is formed by the Hoover Dam and the Colorado River and is located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, 24 miles east of Las Vegas and is the largest man-made reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity. It provides water storage for the lower basin of the Colorado River. Lake Mead National Recreation Area was established in 1939 and is one of the Nation’s first National Recreation Areas and is bordered on the eastern shore by the Grand Canyon.
For over 30 years images created by Dave Bassett have been licensed to the LVVWD to tell the story of water purity, its abundance and also its scarcity. Conservation measures have helped Las Vegas reduce their need and allotment for over 80 years, historically that use has been under 5% of the city’s allotment assigned by the Colorado River Compact, the Southern Nevada Water Systems Act and the Las Vegas Valley Water district act of 1947. In 2007 and 2019 guidelines were put into place to administer crucial roles for the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan, DCP, for both Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
Images provided have often focused on the scenic beauty, immensity and clarity of the reservoir’s abundant resource.
