Megadrought Reveals Volcanic Ash at Lake Mead, Giving Us a Better Look at the Lake’s Past
The American southwest has been spoiled by a persistent megadrughoughsh 20 years old. For this reason, the water bodies, such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell, fell to record stockings, which raises concerns about access to drinking water for surrounding areas.
Lake Mead, the largest human manufacturing lake in the United States, made a slight recovery in 2023 and 2024 after a Dangerously dry 2022; However, the megadrugs continues, and 2025 This does not seem to bring signs of relief.
At full capacity, Lake Mead is around 1,229 feet. However, it has not been close to this level since summer of 1983 and 1999. With the evolution of water levels also comes a change in the shore. While the waters moved away, the sediments seen since the 1930s were again on the surface, and the researchers rushed to see how they could.
Volcanic ash of the past
Lake Mead is formed by the Hoover dam on the Colorado river. It is a tank that provides water for certain parts of California, Nevada and Arizona. At the end of 1936, the water from the Colorado river filled the area that would become the lake.
Once there are poured ghost cities and abandoned ships were not the only things the megadruught exhibited in Lake Mead. As the water levels lowered, the sediments along the shore have become again on the surface. Researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Cryptotephra Laboratory for Archaeological and Geological Research (Clarify) The team took advantage of this opportunity to examine and analyze the sediments exposed on the banks of the lake and found something surprising.
The volcanic ashes of Wyoming, Idaho and California volcanoes were placed in the rocks along the shore. The ash samples varied from 6 million to 12 million years.
“The ashes from still moderately explosive eruptions can travel hundreds of kilometers from the source, covering whole areas with a centimeter several meters from heavy matter,” said Eugene Smith, a professor emeritus of the UNLV of geology specializing in volcanology, geochemistry and geological cartography and worked on projects in Africa, Asia North, Europe and Anti-Arvica press release.
“Although the Las Vegas Valley is currently very far from all active volcanoes, we can and will have ashes of these volcanoes that fall in the south of Nevada in the future,” added Smith in the press release.
Find out more: The water levels of Lake Mead fall again while the snow session takes over the west of the United States
Volcanic eruption nearby?
Thanks to their results in Lake Mead, the research team published a study suggesting that, although the closest active volcanoes are at a considerable distance from the Lake Mead region, eruptions could potentially reach the area in the future. For example, when Mount St. Helens broke out in 1980, volcanic ashes fell into different states, not only in Washington.
A potential eruption of an active volcano nearby could again spread ashes in the Lake Mead region in the future.
Volcanic ashes, even a few inches thick, can cause disastrous effects on electric lines, communication systems and roads. Above all, ashes are extremely dangerous to inspire. The ash contains tiny fragments that can damage pulmonary tissues and cause respiratory diseases, such as silicosis.
“The study of the past can help you plan the future,” said Clagg Lab director and the longtime geologist of Névada, Racheal Johnsen, in the press release. “The layers of ash that we have been studying come from volcanoes for a long time. However, studying them helped us determine how often the region of Las Vegas has been flooded with ashes over time and can help us prepare for future events of active volcanoes far from us.”
Find out more: Drought at Lake Powell reveals a preserved world which was once lost
This article is a republished version of this before Article published here.
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A graduate of Uw-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including a focus on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. His current work also appears on his travel blog and his Common State magazine. His love of science came to watch PBS shows like a child with his mother and spend too much time at Binging Doctor who.
