Nevada Seen as Case Study in Rapid Urban Sprawl Amid a Water Crisis

Experts say changes must be made for the Silver State’s population to be able to keep growing.

The Lake Mead reservoir during an extreme drought as seen from above the Hoover Dam in December 2023. Autumn Spredemann/The Epoch Times

Nevada’s rapidly growing population has reached a critical intersection with the region’s worsening water crisis, according to experts.

The Census Bureau identified the Silver State as sixth in the nation for population growth in 2024. At the same time, water levels in the Colorado River continue to drop, and the state’s urban expansion is creating a challenge in the face of decades of severe drought.