Las Vegas Gambles With an Uncertain Water Future
For more than 70 years, [Hoover Dam’s] massive walls have tamed the flows of the Colorado River, fueling the growth of cities like Las Vegas that depend on it to supply water and power from its generating station.
But these days, what’s most striking is the lack of water stored behind the dam’s concrete arch. A thick white band of mineral deposits marks the walls of Black Canyon above the water line. Locals call it the “bathtub ring.” It’s where the water used to be, before the start of the current decade-long drought.