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Lake Mead's rising levels this summer a mirage compared to future

Increased water use during the pandemic helped drain Lake Mead even faster, according to a new UNLV study.
Associated Press
Increased water use during the pandemic helped drain Lake Mead even faster, according to a new UNLV study.

Remember that boat that was sticking up out of the dried-up bed of Lake Mead last summer? Recent photos have shown the water has risen to almost cover the boat again.

So hallelujah, right? Not really.

Las Vegas is growing. We have two new casinos about to open. The Sphere is going to open soon. The Formula 1 race is going to draw tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. Next year, we’ll have the Super Bowl.

All those people are temporary, maybe you’re thinking. And that’s true.

But the eyes they open to the business opportunities here means there is going to be more development. We’ve already heard of a multi-billion development coming to the south end of the Strip.

That means more people. And more water use. And as most of us know, Southern Nevada gets the smallest slice of Colorado River out of seven states that share water from the river.


Guests: Pat Mulroy, former CEO, Southern Nevada Water Authority; Alex Hager, Colorado River Basin reporter; Tina Quigley, president and CEO, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.
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