On Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:11:17 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Fairly sure that there was always water there.

Underground.

probably pumped with windmills. The desert is permanently windy there.

The major source of water supply for Las Vegas is Lake Mead fed by
the Colorado River.

And the water supply is much more critical than the electrical power supply
and is rapidly becoming inadquate for the growing city.

http://www.reuters.COM/article/domesticNews/idUSN1335882320070821

http://www.lasvegasnow.COM/Global/story.asp?s=6943263

http://abcnews.go.COM/Nightline/story?id=3012250&page=1