Lake Mead

Lake Mead was formed by the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, which was completed in 1936. The reservoir impounds water at the Nevada–Arizona border and was named after Elwood Mead, the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation at the time.

At full capacity, Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States by volume, capable of holding approximately 26 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir extends roughly 112 miles upstream along the Colorado River from Hoover Dam when at full pool.

Lake Mead's water levels have dropped dramatically since the early 2000s due to a prolonged megadrought in the Colorado River basin combined with decades of over-allocation of the river's water. By 2022, the reservoir fell to its lowest level since it was first filled, approaching what hydrologists call "dead pool" status.

Yes, Lake Mead is a major recreational destination within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service. The area offers boating, fishing, swimming, and camping, with several marinas including Las Vegas Boat Harbor and Callville Bay operating on the Nevada side.