Lake Mead and Its Namesake, Elwood Mead
Lake Mead house boat rentals provide the ultimate vacation experience to those who love life on the water. Lake Mead is located on the Colorado River, just southeast of Las Vegas. It’s the largest reservoir in the United States, boasting 247 square miles of surface space and depths that reach a whopping 532 feet. This lake is a scenic wonder that you have to experience to believe. Whether you’re in it for the fishing, or you just love the feel of the waves beneath you, Lake Mead house boat rentals offer up the perfect vacation experience.
How Lake Mead Got Its Name
Lake Mead was named for Elwood Mead, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Manager at the time the lake was built. It was formed by the Boulder Canyon Project that dammed up the Colorado River with the construction of the Hoover Dam. Once called the Boulder Canyon Recreation Area, Lake Mead and its surrounding landscape eventually became the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. In order to build the lake, the town of St. Thomas was evacuated and flooded. When water levels are low in the lake, remnants of the forgotten town are still visible.
Who Was Elwood Mead
Elwood Mead was a water genius; hired as Wyoming’s Territorial Engineer at the unheard-of age of 30, he went on to transform the way water was claimed and owned throughout the state. He took water ownership away from private citizens who were hoarding the state’s creeks and waterways for their own and gave it to the state, requiring residents to apply for permits to invoke water rights. Next, he took the settling of water disputes away from the courts and gave it instead to a board of experts. Mead required anyone who applied for water rights to “use it or lose it,” which put an end to frivolous water claims.
Today, Lake Mead resides at the center of a manmade wonder. At Forever Houseboats, we recommend you see it for yourself first hand. Try your hand at Lake Mead houseboat rentals today. You’re going to love the result.
