For the second time in six months, an unexpected intrusion of water and mud has stalled the $447-million construction of a third water intake at Lake Mead near Hoover Dam in southern Nevada. The problem could delay project completion at the drought-ravaged lake by a year and increase costs by “tens of millions,” says a project official.
The new intake is intended to draw water deeper from the dwindling lake that reached an all-time capacity low of 38.5% on Dec. 4. Water supplies have evaporated after years of drought and boom growth, a situation that could force the dam to possibly shutter its hydroelectric turbines.