Lake Mead Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (228,963 bytes) ( 1,579 x 800 )

The western US is now in its 6th year of severe drought. Effects can be seen from space on ASTER images, like these before-and-current views of Boulder Basin, the western part of Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona. Between January 2001 and April 2004, the water level dropped 18 meters, creating a series of new islands. The large Saddle Island is now a part of the shoreline. Lake Mead is one of the largest reservoirs in the world, supplying water to California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico. The two images were acquired on January 30, 2001 and April 28, 2004. They cover an area of 12 x 11.8 km, and are centered near 36.1 degrees north and 114.5 degrees west.