In 1997, I drove across the Hoover Dam on my way to McCarran Airport and was witness to water splashing over the spillways. It was a rare and unprecedented even

In 1997, I drove across the Hoover Dam on my way to McCarran Airport and was witness to water splashing over the spillways. It was a rare and unprecedented event in the history of the dam and unique in my lifetime. The growth in Vegas at the time was mind boggling. New casinos, subdivisions, schools, hospitals, highways, freeways, it was unparalleled and nothing short of remarkable. Today, that water level is easily 80 ft. below the top of the spillway and Vegas stridently inches its way back to its old dynamism. Water has ALWAYS been its most important issue. Like every city, it's not perfect, but it's done a damn good job so far.