Lake Size: 248 sq miles, 110 miles long
Shoreline Length (Miles): 550 mi (885 km)
Deepest Depth: 500 ft (165 m)
Latitude: 36.059722
Longitude: -114.776389
Lake Level Above Sea Level: 294,917,940 feet
Counties: Meade County
Cities: Willow Beach, Henderson
Lake Management: National Park Service

Information: Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. It is located on the Colorado River about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by water impounded by Hoover Dam, it extends 112 mi (180 km) behind the dam, holding approximately 28.5 million acre feet (35 km³) of water. The water held in Lake Mead is released to communities in Southern California and Nevada, via aqueducts.The lake was named after Elwood Mead, who was commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1924 to 1936 during the planning and construction of the Boulder Canyon Project that created the dam and lake. Lake Mead was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936, administrated by the National Park Service. It was then changed to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in 1964, this time including Lake Mohave and the Shivwits Plateau under its jurisdiction. Both lakes and the surrounding area offer year-round recreation options. The accumulated water from Hoover Dam forced the evacuation of several communities, most notably St. Thomas, Nevada, whose last resident left the town in 1938. The ruins of St. Thomas are sometimes visible when the water level in Lake Mead drops below normal. The 1983 high-water mark or "bathtub ring" is visible in photos that show the shoreline of Lake Mead. The bathtub ring is white because of the deposition of minerals on previously submerged surfaces. Access from the northwest from Interstate 15 is through Valley of Fire State Park and the Moapa River Indian Reservation. The lake is divided into several bodies. The large body closest to the Hoover Dam is Boulder Basin. The narrow channel, which was once known as Boulder Canyon and the original planned site for the dam is now known as The Narrows, connects Boulder Basin to Virgin Basin to the east. The Virgin River and Muddy River empty into Overton Arm, which is connected to the northern part of the Virgin Basin. The next basin to the east is Temple Basin, and following that is Gregg Basin. Jagged mountain ranges surround the lake, offering somewhat of a startling but beautiful backdrop, especially at sunset. There are two mountain ranges within view of the Boulder Basin, the River Mountains, oriented North-west to South-east and the Muddy Mountains, oriented West to North-east. Las Vegas Bay is the terminus for the Las Vegas Wash which is the sole outflow from the Las Vegas Valley. Before the Water Rose Starting as a pioneer settlement in 1865, St. Thomas grew to be an established town of farms, homes and stores. Life passed slowly until Hoover Dam was built. St. Thomas was doomed as the rising waters of the Colorado River slowly filled canyons and valleys, creating Lake Mead. The residents of St. Thomas sold their land, tore down homes that had been lived in for generations and said goodbye to friends and neighbors. On June 11, 1938, Hugh Lord rowed away from his house, the last citizen to leave. The community was soon covered by the lake, a victim of a rapidly changing landscape and lifestyle in the desert. While we cannot bring St. Thomas back to life, we can show the town and its people the respect we’d like our home town to receive. Please do not climb on foundations or disturb any artifacts you find. These remnants remind us of the people of St. Thomas, those who played, worked and lived here.