LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Another day and a new record for a low lake level at Lake Mead dropped to 1045.51 feet Monday. But there’s now another way people have been measuring the level of the lake, the verticle speedboat.
Firmly stuck deep in the Lake Mead mud, the speedboat in the Government Wash area has been a beacon of sorts showing how much and how fast the lake is receding.
8 News Now first reported on the boat that’s pointed straight up out of the water back on May 23. At that time we shared photographs and video taken by Travis Pardee.
In his video, his children were swimming around the boat, still in relatively deep water and several feet from shore. Well, that video was recorded 22 days ago.
Since then, using the vertical speedboat as a gauge, the lake has dropped almost an entire stern. Or by the official numbers, it has dropped approximately 4’4″.
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A speedboat remains vertical and almost on dry land at Lake Mead. June 12, 2022 (Photo: Duncan Phenix, KLAS) -
A speedboat remains vertical and almost on dry land at Lake Mead. June 12, 2022 (Photo: Duncan Phenix, KLAS) -
A speedboat remains vertical and almost on dry land at Lake Mead. June 12, 2022 (Photo: Duncan Phenix, KLAS)
As of June 12, the verticle speedboat remains upright and practically on dry land, except for what appears to be a large sinkhole around its stern.
Historically over the last five years, July has been the month when the annual spring decrease levels off and even increases some through August and September.