12 Arrests At Lake Mead Over Holiday Weekend

It was a very busy weekend for National Park Service rangers, as they made 12 arrests at Lake Mead Recreational Area during the recent Memorial Day holiday. They also issued 48 citations, and handed out 252 warnings to boaters from Saturday through Monday according to an article written by Ryan Matthey on 8NewsNow.com.

Most of the 12 arrests at Lake Mead Recreational Area during the holiday weekend were made for speeding or drunk driving.

Most of the citations were issued because people were using pool toys on the lake. People do not realize how dangerous these toys can be on a windy day out at Lake Mead. The winds can move someone floating on a pool toy a great distance in a very short amount of time. Many of these toys are being used by children, and you can imagine the panic that sets in when they realize how far away they have floated from Mom and Dad.

Most pool toys have warnings stating that they are not to be used on open bodies of water, but people use them on lakes and oceans anyway. Kids and adults might start by using these "floaties" near the shore, but after a few wind gusts they have floated into the middle of the lake where speed boats and wave runners could easily hit them.

The good news is: there were no reported drownings at the lake during the recent holiday weekend. The 8NewsNow.com article reports that there have been 40 drownings at Lake Mead Recreational Area over the past six years, and a great many of those accidental deaths were associated with the use of pool toys. Officials recommended these precautions when planning to spend time at the lake:

I've had so much fun at, and on Lake Mead over the years - as you can see in the pictures. But it's scary what is happening to our lake.

As of last weekend, the depth of Lake Mead is about 1045 feet above sea level, it has lost another 6 feet of water in just one month, and is now at 29% capacity.

The six foot drop in just one month is a lot, but there are a lot of reasons beyond over usage: The Bureau of Reclamation has held back water from Lake Powell to allow power to be generated at the Glen Canyon Dam is one reason, the severe prolonged drought and evaporation are also taking a toll.

If the level continues to fall a water shortage will be declared for 2023. This would mean a reduction in the water allocated to us here in the Vegas valley. Last year we used 242,000 acre feet of water with an allocation of 300,000 acre feet. FYI: An acre foot of water is what two average households use per year.

I know firsthand how low the lake is. How? I had to pay for a prop on a boat rental because I got too close to a rock - that was about 50 feet from the shore!

Have fun on the lake, but be careful out there!

Easy to see how low the lake level has dropped, by the rings.

Let’s be friends! 👍 Follow us on all social media platforms:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kklz963

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kklz963/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kklz963/

Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.