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Lake Mead

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Panoramic view of Lake Mead.
   Enlarge
   Panoramic view of Lake Mead.

   Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake and reservoir in the United
   States. It is located on the Colorado River about 30 mi (48 km)
   southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona.
   Formed by water impounded by Hoover Dam, it extends 110 mi (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.

   The 1983 high-water mark or "bathtub ring" is visible in many photos
   that show the shoreline of Lake Mead. The bathtub ring is white because
   of the deposition of minerals on previously submerged surfaces.

   Access from the northwest from Interstate 15 is through Valley of Fire
   State Park and the Moapa Indian Reservation.

Recreation

   Lake Mead from space, November 1985
   Enlarge
   Lake Mead from space, November 1985
   Lake Mead
   Enlarge
   Lake Mead

   Lake Mead offers many types of recreation to locals and visitors.
   Boating is the most popular. Additional activities include, fishing,
   water skiing, swimming, and relaxing in the sun. The area also has many
   coves with rocky cliffs and sandy beaches to explore. There are several
   small to medium sized islands in the lake area depending on the water
   level. In addition, the Alan Bible Botanical Garden is a small
   botanical garden.

Statistics

     * Surface area: 247  mi² (640  km²), backing up 110 mi (180 km)
       behind the dam.
     * Water volume: approximately 46 billion 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 U.S.
          + This is enough water to cover the entire state of Pennsylvania
            in one foot depth of water.
     * Shoreline: 550 mi (885 km)
     * Visitors per year: 8 – 10 million per year (Lake Mead National
       Recreation Area)
          + Fifth most visited national park in the U.S., (reported by
            National Park Service)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Mead"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
