Prolonged drought in the Southwest has caused a rapid drop in the water level of Lake Mead. That’s putting water supplies to some major cities in jeopardy. But it’s also exposed some of the area’s history and a long-submerged town. Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports.
Saint Thomas, Nevada was founded by Mormon settlers in the 1860s. But since the completion of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s, it’s been mostly underwater. The dam created Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir. With the lake’s level now near the lowest point in its history, several buildings and other remains of a once-bustling town are now completely exposed.
Christie Vanover is with Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
“There’s actually still the stairs that walked up into the schoolhouse. It’s just so rare that you’re able to find a city that was once under water.”
Lake Mead’s water level has dropped about 130 feet in the last 15 years. Cities that depend on Lake Mead for water include Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix.