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02382 Grand Canyon Nat Park Historic River Photo (7309346446).jpg
Grand Canyon National Park · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Nevada → Lake Mead

Lake Mead

Nevada · Reservoir impounded 1936 · near Boulder City

158,000 acres 532 ft deep 25 ft clarity Water C
Compare
6.6SCORE
Survey summary · Nevada
158,000
Surface acres
532 ft
Max depth
759 mi
Shoreline
25 ft
Typical clarity
1,229 ft
Elevation
02382 Grand Canyon Nat Park Historic River Photo (7309346446).jpg 07471 17086 Grand Canyon Nat Park Historic River Photo (7309394242).jpg

Photographs of Lake Mead via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Lake Mead covers 158,000 acres in Nevada and drops to 532 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1936 and managed by Bureau of Reclamation. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 140 feet, typically drawn down in multi-year. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Water clarity averages around 25 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Outside NRA only. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Exceptional clarity, roughly 25 ft
  • Deep water — 532 ft max
  • Large open water, 158,000 acres
  • 759 miles of shoreline
  • Boating
  • Houseboating

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 140 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 6.7
Recreation 7.2
Value 6.1
Access 7.3
Investment 6.0

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Striped bassLargemouth bassCatfishCrappie

On the water

BoatingHouseboatingFishingSwimming
Nearest station: MEADOW VALLEY WASH NR ROX, NV. This is a stream gauge on connected water, not a gauge on the lake itself. It responds to storms and dam releases, so read it as a signal about the system — not as the lake's surface elevation.
49.90 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs multi-year low · Lake Mead
140 ft FULL POOL MULTI-YEAR LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 140 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 541 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 670 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 532 ft max avg 170 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 532 ft, average 170 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown140 ft Drawdown seasonMulti-year Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity25 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation1,229 ft Managing authorityBureau of Reclamation
This lake moves. A drawdown near 140 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityNPS Lake Mead NRA Wake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with NPS Lake Mead NRA that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Outside NRA only

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$780,000
Median waterfront
$1,701
Per shoreline foot
+10.2%
Year over year
29
Est. inventory
156
Avg days on market
$567
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy50% Booked nights / yr131 Gross revenue$82,100 Net operating income$40,504 Yield on median price5.19%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Mead actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$6,488
All-in per month
$177,970
Cash to close + setup
$17,070
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$77,852 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $49,316 (65%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $8,580 (11%) Property taxes $8,190 (11%) Hazard insurance $3,276 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Flood insurance $2,400 (3%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$49,316
Property taxes$8,190
Hazard insurance$3,276
Flood insurance$2,400
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$8,580
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$77,852
Model your own numbers →
3.5 / 5 from 2 reviews
Good value compared to nearby lakes
Linda M. · Summer 2026
4/5

Prices here are meaningfully lower than the lake an hour north for water that is nearly as clear. Fewer restaurants and services, which is the tradeoff.

Depends heavily on your cove
Linda M. · Owner on the lake · Spring 2026
3/5

Main channel is fantastic. Some of the back coves get shallow and mucky by late summer. Walk the actual shoreline before you commit, not just the listing photos.

For sale

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