Letters to the Editor

Regulate water through dam to keep lake level high

Please note that the greater Southwestern United States has been a desert for over 950 million years. Also, the Colorado River has been flowing there for almost the same number of years, with varying intensities. Why now are we considered in a drought?

With the construction of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead was formed and created by slowing the flow of water. The dam was created to

1. Stop flooding along the river’s banks

2. To create a water reservoir

3. To create electric power on a limited amount.

There are 17 portals connected to generators allowing more water to pass through the dam than ever flowed along the Colorado River. The amount of water passing through the dam needs to be regulated to maintain a healthy and full Lake Mead.

The reason for this reservoir depletion of water, is not a drought, but because the dam is owned by a private company not the federal government (as most people think). The company is in the business of producing and selling electric power, and does not care about the height of water in Lake Mead. It cares only about profit at our expense and blaming the problem of low water on a drought instead of the truth by allowing too much water to pass through the dam.

If we want Lake Mead to fill up as it was intended, then give the control over to our government, which could control the amount of water flowing through the dam as it was intended when built.

We are being fooled that the amount of rainfall is what determines the amount of water in Lake Mead. It’s not!

Edward A. Ellul

Editor’s note: The Hoover Dam is owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Elected leaders need to do what’s best for city

As a former Boulder City resident, I am still very concerned about the lake levels at Mead plus the continuing debt of the city. Why did the federal government wait until there was a crisis at the lake before doing something about it?

Lake Mead and the dam is a historical sight to see and (provides) a livelihood to Boulder City as far as revenue to the area.

The people need to elect leaders who will do what’s best for Boulder City and not themselves; and if you do that, it’ll stabilize Boulder and change the debt from red to black.

Rusty Wheaton