Drought Closes Lake Mead Boat Ramp - AZ Republic

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"Falling water levels at Lake Mead will claim a popular boat launch ramp this month, the latest casualty of a drought that has redrawn the shorelines of the West's largest reservoirs.

The National Park Service will close the Las Vegas Bay launch ramp Dec. 15 after low water and erosion in a nearby wash left the ramp unsafe and mostly unusable. The courtesy dock will also be removed.

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It's the second time declining lake levels and an expanding delta forced the park service to adjust operations in that area. In October 2002, the Las Vegas Bay Marina was moved to Hemenway Harbor, where two lanes are open for shallow launches only.

Water levels at Lake Mead have dropped to 40-year lows because of the drought. The reservoir now sits at 1,139 feet above sea level, six feet below the first trigger for drought restrictions. A level of 1,125 feet will trigger a drought emergency in the Las Vegas area and will also affect the availability of extra water for Arizona and California."

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Arizona Republic