The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) presently operates two water intakes at Saddle Island on the west shore of Lake Mead, approximately five miles northwest of Hoover Dam and approximately 20miles east of the center of Las Vegas, within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Severe drought has caused declining water levels in Lake Mead during recent years. Long-term water supply modeling conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation indicates that the lake level may decline even further until the system recovers from the recent severe drought.

The SNWA plans to construct a third deep-water intake, Intake No.3, in Lake Mead, and other associated project components, to protect the existing water system capacity against the potential loss of pumping capability of Intake No.1 should the lake levels continue to fall.

On Thursday, May 15, the National Park Service will temporarily close Saddle Cove Road at Lakeshore Road to public access for the duration of the construction activity, expected to last until December 2012. Superintendent Bill Dickinson said, “We regret the inconvenience this will cause park visitors who enjoy recreating in the area, but the temporary closure is necessary for contractor access and the safety of park visitors.”

SNWA will construct traffic improvements, including a truck deceleration and turning lane, at the intersection of Saddle Cove Road and Lakeshore Road. Project-related construction traffic will enter and exit the work site through this entrance. Most of the construction activity will be on land in the Saddle Cove area north of SNWA’s existing water treatment facilities near Saddle Island.

Regular updates on the construction activities associated with SNWA’s Third Intake project and the Clean Water Coalition’s System Conveyance and Operations Program (SCOP - pipeline and tunnel project that will convey effluent from CWC member agencies’ wastewater treatment plants to a new discharge location in Lake Mead) will be provided to the public on a regular basis.