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l'! "', ~'.. l.3 'I ~ '.,J' ,~~ ~," -:,.. t . Annual allotnlent of .. Golorado Hiver water: r (.) 300,000 acre-feet Nevada is the nation's Z I Cl Percentage olallocatiol1 ... that is developed: " the Colorado River flows as a water stop that the area C 71 percent seventh largest state, with along the 200 miles of its began to grow - around I- State's population: more than 110,000 square southern border. the turn of the century. Cl 1.3 million miles of land. It also holds The valley in which the The city continued to the distinction of being the city of Las Vegas lies today grow, with groundwater as P,opulation-,served hy driest state, with an aver- was home to the Paiute its sole source. By the early Colorado River water: age 9 inches of rainfall Indians long before others 1930s, the first lawn-water- 800,000 annually. Southcrn Nevada, where the state's Pe-rce,ntage- ofContributioll major population center is of Colorado River water to concentrated in the Las meetjng:~tat~'s needs: Vegas Valley, receives a 6 :p'ercent scant 4 inches average rain- I fall per year. Colomdo River area in stall": The state's large size 12,376 5(I~ure miJ(.:,; ~. combined with its small population makes it one of Average preCipitation of ~tate: the least densely populat- 3 ~ 9 inches I ed. More than 60 percent of the state's population Hi~Hest elevation: resides in Las Vegas and Bound.,.y Peak at ] 3,]4.0 Clark County. Major popu- feet ab(ri: (~ sea leyel I lation centers in Northern Nevada are located along Lowestpj)int: the eastern slope of the 190 feet on the ColQrado Sierra Nevadas. Northern came and settled. Bubbling ing restrictions began River commmmunities such as artesian springs produced a reflecting the limited water Reno, state capital Carson swift stream of water flow- supply and the need to I National forests: City and Lake Tahoe make ing across the valley, mai<- manage and protect the 2 (Toiyahe with 3.2 million up about 30 percent of the ing the area an oasis in the desert's most precious I acres::and HU'mboldt with state's population. desert. A grassy meadow resource. Construction of Z 2.5 milliol1&cres) The federal government grew on each side of the Boulder (Hoover) Dam controls approximately 85 stream, approximately a reduced the city's depen- m I percent of the state's land. mile and a half wide and dence on groundwater and, ~ A few of the agencies three miles long. This until recently, afforded an responsible for the federal grassy meadow inspired a abundant supply for what ~ . lands include: Bureau of Spanish-speaking explorer would become one of the r Land Management, Forest to call the place Las Vegas fastest growing states in Service, Department of (the meadows). It later the country. Defense, Department of became an important rest- lt was not so much Energy, and Fish and ing place on the Spanish water, however, as hydro- Wildlife. Trail. generated electricity that In spite of the state's Mormon settlers started Nevadans felt was critical unrivaled aridity, or per- an agricultural settlement at the time when the ~ haps because of it, water there in 1855, which failed Boulder Canyon Project has played a pivotal role in after two years. lt was not was being negotiated. For its development. This has until the Union Pacific one thing, one-third of been especially true in Railroad laid tracks Nevada actually slopes Southern Nevada, where through Southern Nevada downward toward the and designated Las Vegas Colorado River, making irrigation from the river appear impossible to the