Can Hoover Dam Flood Las Vegas?

In Godzilla #9 (Apr 1978) Doug Moench wrote a plot where Hoover Dam threatened to break, flooding Las Vegas. 

Radioactive breath kaiju rampaging through Nevada?  Sure!  Who cannot get behind that?

Hoover Dam flooding Las Vegas?

Nope – no way.

First off, Las Vegas is not downstream of Hoover Dam.  Second, Las Vegas is about 2,000 feet above sea level.  The lake behind Hoover Dam has a high-water mark about 1,229 feet above sea level.  Water does not go uphill when a dam breaks.

Makes for a great visual though!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *