Water Safety in Nevada

At Nevada's desert lakes, leave the pool floats at home and wear a real life jacket instead. At Lakes Mead and Mohave, pool toys are banned, there are no lifeguards, and the National Park Service says many people who drown there never meant to go in the water. Paddlers in Nevada must carry a life jacket for everyone, and kids under 13 must wear one.

Nevada drowning and boating numbers

1.45 per 100,000

• Drowning: CDC puts Nevada's average annual drowning death rate for 2018-2021 at 1.45 per 100,000 people (opens in a new tab), in the second-highest band on its map.
• Boating: The U.S. Coast Guard counted 39 reportable recreational boating incidents in Nevada in 2024, with 4 deaths and 24 injuries (opens in a new tab). Deaths by year: 3 in 2020, 3 in 2021, 5 in 2022, 8 in 2023 and 4 in 2024.

CDC counts drowning deaths of Nevada residents, so visitors who drown in Nevada are counted in their home states. The Coast Guard counts boating incidents by reporting state. See our Nevada data page.

Lake Mead and Lake Mohave

The National Park Service's safety page for Lake Mead National Recreation Area is direct:

• No pool toys. Pool toys (inflatable and non-inflatable) are prohibited at Lakes Mead and Mohave (opens in a new tab). The park says they are not a substitute for life jackets, are dangerous in open water and contribute significantly to drownings and rescues. Visitors can be fined.
• No lifeguards. There are no lifeguards or designated swim beaches (opens in a new tab). Children swimming on the shorelines or in open water should wear life jackets.
• Wear it, even swimming. Lake conditions can change in an instant, so rangers recommend always wearing a life jacket, even while swimming. If you are short one, the park has a free loaner program.
• Unplanned falls. Many persons who drown never intended to enter the water (opens in a new tab).
• Distances fool people. Distances to islands, buoys and across coves are easily underestimated. Air mattresses and other inflatables can blow away, leaving you stranded far from shore.

Read water wings and floaties for why inflatables are not safety gear, and lake swimming safety for more.

Paddling in Nevada

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) says wardens who used to see only a handful of paddlers ten years ago now see hundreds of kayaks, paddleboards and canoes (opens in a new tab) across the state. Once you are paddling, you follow the same boating rules as every other vessel:

• Paddlers are required to carry a life jacket that fits properly for every person aboard the boat, and children under the age of 13 are required to wear the life jacket at all times (opens in a new tab).
• The best way to stay safe is to wear your life jacket every time. Canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and float tubes are easy to fall off.
• NDOW points paddlers to a free paddle sports safety course, sanctioned by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and recognized by the Coast Guard.

See paddleboard safety.

Nevada boating rules

NDOW says Nevada boaters born on or after January 1, 1983 must complete an NDOW-approved boater education course before operating a boat on interstate waters. See NDOW boating rules (opens in a new tab). This is a summary, not legal advice.

What you can do today

• Swap pool toys for fitted life jackets on your next lake trip.
• Put a life jacket on every child who swims at the lake shore.
• Before you swim to a buoy or island, remember distances are easy to misjudge. Stay close to shore.
• Take the free paddle sports course before your first paddleboard trip.
• Find swim lessons with our guide to finding swim lessons.