Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, between the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by water impounded by Hoover Dam, it extends 110 miles (180 km) behind the dam, holding approximately 28.5 million acre feet (35 km³) of water. The water held in Lake Mead is released via aqueducts to communities in southern California and Nevada.
The lake was named after Elwood Mead , who was commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1924 to 1936 during the planning and construction of the Boulder Canyon Project that created the dam and lake.
The Lake Mead National Recreation Area was established in 1964 and offers year-round recreation options.
The accumulated water from Hoover Dam forced the evacuation of several communities, most notably St. Thomas, Nevada, whose last resident left the town in 1938. The ruins of St. Thomas are sometimes visible when the water level in Lake Mead drops below normal.
Access from the northwest from interstate 15 is through Valley of Fire State Park and the Moapa Indian Reservation .
Statistics
- Lake Mead surface area: 247 square miles (640 km²), backing up 110 miles (180 km) behind the dam.
- Lake Mead water volume: approximately 46,000,000,000 yd³ (35.2 km³), or 28.5 million acre feet (35 km³); nearly two years of average Colorado River flow; largest man-made reservoir in the USA.
- Lake Mead shoreline: 550 miles (885 km)
- With 8 to 10 million visitors each year, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the fifth-busiest national park in the United States, according to the National Park Service.
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