Last week i was fortunate enough to be able to go to Las Vegas with the Planning Studio class. We flew down to Vegas for 5 days. During the five days we met with the planners from Nellis Air Force Base, BLM, SNWA, Clark County Comprehensive Planning, and USFWS. We spent out morning attending meetings and the afternoons driving around. On Thursday afternoon we drove to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. I had heard that the lake level was low but I did not really think it would look as low as it did. Our first stop was the boat ramp that didn't even go close to the edge of the water. The photo below is of the boat ramp and Lake Mead.
One thing that I found super interesting is that features that use to be covered by water are now starting to show. In the photo below you can see rock features that use to be covered. This make me think of what this landscape use to look like before the Hoover Dam and reminds me of Glen Canyon, one of the most beautiful canyons, that I will never be able to experience because it is underwater. If Lake Mead and Lake Powell ever dry up or get really low, the original landscapes will start to appear again but will be tainted by the water. It just would not be the same.
At the Hoover Dam, there is construction going on to build a new bypass so that traffic does not have to drive over the dam. This new bridge is going to be another eyesore in this beautiful landscape. The photos below are of the new bridge.
