Skip to main content
Home

Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Main Menu

  • EROS Home
  • Image Gallery
  • Video Library
  • Earthshots
  • Remote Sensing Classroom

Earthshots

  • Earthshots
    • Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
      • Western Urban Expansion
      • Southwestern Las Vegas
      • Change Animation
      • Lake Las Vegas
      • Lake Mead
      • Land Cover Maps
      • Near Lake Mead
      • Impervious Surface
  • Download Cards
  • More Information
  • Contact Information
Earthshots Logo

Lake Mead A Las Vegas, Nevada, USA story

Cities  / 
Deserts  / 
Water
  1. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
  2. Lake Mead
Description

How is Las Vegas getting enough water for its expanding population? Most of it comes from Lake Mead on the Colorado River. The Colorado River provides water for Las Vegas, as well as Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Diego. As the populations of all of these cities continue to grow, water demand also increases. However, less snowpack in the mountains in recent years has reduced the river’s flow and thus the amount of water stored in the reservoir.

Landsat images starting in 1972 show the changing water level of the lake. In June 2016, Lake Mead’s water level fell to 1,071 feet above sea level. The level hasn’t been this low since the lake began filling in the 1930s. The January 2016 level of just under 1,084 feet above sea level was the lowest January level on record since the lake began filling. In August 2021, the lake was reported to be 35% full.

The drop in lake level isn’t even as apparent as it might otherwise be because of the steep topography in the region. Lake Mead is inside a canyon environment, so the drastic reduction in lake level does not equate to as drastic of a reduction in surface area, even though the surface area reduction is quite noticeable.

View Related Imagery & Stories

Location

Sep. 13, 1972, Landsat 1 (path/row 42/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 13, 1972, Landsat 1 (path/row 42/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 10, 1986, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 10, 1986, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 10, 1992, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 10, 1992, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 24, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 24, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 11, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 11, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 6, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 6, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 9, 2021, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Aug. 9, 2021, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Sep. 13, 1972, Landsat 1 (path/row 42/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Sep. 10, 1986, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Sep. 10, 1992, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Sep. 24, 2000, Landsat 7 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Aug. 11, 2010, Landsat 5 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Aug. 6, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA
Aug. 9, 2021, Landsat 8 (path/row 39/35) — Lake Mead, USA

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Additional Imagery & Stories

Change Animation
Change Animation

If you could speed up time and watch a fast-growing city like Las Vegas change, what would it look like? From the perspective of the Landsat satellite...

Read More
Impervious Surface
Impervious Surface

NLCD images of western Las Vegas show that much more urban expansion took place here between 2001 and 2006 than over the next 5 years. The land cover ...

Read More
Lake Las Vegas
Lake Las Vegas

Between 1986 and 1992, a lake appeared east of the city, along Las Vegas Wash, a riparian area. This is Lake Las Vegas, a privately owned lake that is...

Read More
Land Cover Maps
Land Cover Maps

The images displayed in this section show a different way of looking at change over time. These images are part of the National Land Cover Database (N...

Read More
Near Lake Mead
Near Lake Mead

These close-up NLCD images show the water level changes to western Lake Mead. The water classification (blue) changes to barren ground (gray) as the l...

Read More
Southwestern Las Vegas
Southwestern Las Vegas

Zooming in on the southwestern portion of the city reveals further urban and suburban changes. McCarran International Airport expanded in this timefra...

Read More
Western Urban Expansion
Western Urban Expansion

In these false-color images, bright green indicates vegetation. As the city expands, you can see a sort of land cover succession as people build on th...

Read More
  • DOI Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Site Map
  • Contact USGS

  • U.S. Department of the Interior
  • DOI Inspector General
  • White House
  • E-gov
  • No Fear Act
  • FOIA