Almost all of us have read about the drought conditions in many parts of the U.S. The recent fires in California and Texas have reminded us again that climate change is real. Fires, floods, and extreme heat will dominate our lives for much of the rest of this century.

 Janet and I were in Nevada, Arizona, and California in mid-January. I went to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the Valley at 282 feet below sea level with my demographer mates, and Janet was off hanging out in Las Vegas with one of her friends. Last year at this time Badwater Basin was wet with the shallow lake adjacent to the low point stretching out for many miles. Off in the distance, about 20 miles, I could see Telescope Peak at over 11,000 feet. Quite the contrast. This year it was extremely dry. The salt flats spread out for what seemed like forever. It wasn’t hot yet, but just a glance at the endless salt made me conclude that I would not be visiting there in July or August when the temps reach 120 plus.

We decided to visit Hoover Dam, an engineering marvel and one of the really interesting spots on our planet. Even though the damsite has become a destination for, on average, seven million tourists each year, those of us who go there and just wander around are amazed at how close we can get to just about everything we want to see. Peering down the spillway and watching the water discharge down below made me even more curious about how all of this actually works. It’s simple really. When Lake Mead is high enough water enters at two stations near the dam and falls down driving the generators that produce electricity. Then the water is directed to where it is discharged to continue its merry way along the Colorado River to California.

But, the lake is nowhere near its optimal level. Since 2000, the water level has dropped 150 feet, exposing a rock face that once was underwater. Looking again, it appears almost like a bathtub ring. In 2022, the low water level reached its lowest point and the generation of electricity was at risk. Remedial construction work had to be carried out to extend the depth that the two water intake towers so that water would be available to drive the turbines. Since 2022, the level of Lake Mead has increased by 17 feet, improving conditions at the dam. Don’t be fooled however. It is very unlikely that Lake Mead will ever again be at an optimal depth