Lake Mead on the Colorado River, US
Lake Mead is a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States. It is located in the states of Nevada and Arizona, 24 miles east from Las Vegas Strip.
It is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity. Formed by the Hoover Dam on September 30, 1935, the reservoir serves water to the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, as well as some of Mexico, providing sustenance to nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland.
At maximum capacity, Lake Mead is 112 miles long, 532 feet at its greatest depth, has a surface elevation of 1,221.4 feet above sea level, and contains 26.12 million acre-feet of water.
The lake has remained below full capacity since 1983 due to drought and increased water demand. As of June 2021, Lake Mead held 35.17% of full capacity at 9.102 million acre-feet, dropping below the reservoir’s previous all-time low of 9.328 million acre-feet recorded in July 2016.
The lake was named after Elwood Mead, who was the 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.
Lloyd Joseph Hudlow, an engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation, came to Boulder City in March 1933 to assist in the survey, and ended up as the project manager.
Lake Mead was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936, administered by the National Park Service.
The name was changed to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in 1947, and Lake Mohave and the Shivwits Plateau were later added to its jurisdiction. Both lakes and the surrounding area offer year-round recreation options.
Echo Bay is located along the northwestern portion of Lake Mead along Northshore Road. Access from the north from Overton, Nevada, or Valley of Fire State Park, or from the south from the Las Vegas Valley.
From Echo Bay, you can gas up, grab some snacks and hit the open waters of Lake Mead along the peaceful Overton Arm where striped bass and largemouth bass are waiting for you. Or, camp at the RV park or campground and spend your days fishing from shore.
Video Source: Colorado River Lake Mead Echo Bay from New Mexico Outdoor Sports Guide – NMOSG on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
