New imagery released by NASA shows the effect of extreme drought on Lake Mead. The lake is actually a reservoir, and is the largest in the United States. It was created with the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s. 16 consecutive years of drought due to climate change have caused the water level to fall to record low levels.
Of note in the before-after pictures is the change in size of the Las Vegas Metropolitan area. The population of the city of Las Vegas has grown from 160,000 to 670,000 in just the past thirty years. Not only does the reservoir supply that entire population with water, it is pumped to many cities in Arizona, California, Nevada, and northern Mexico.
