NASA’s Earth Observatory has released a series of satellite images from Landsat V showing Las Vegas from space in five-year intervals from 1984 – 2009. The growth of this city is incredible when viewed this way. Jonathan Crowe of The Map Room created a video showing a time animation of the images. So, of course I decided to make a Google Earth KML file 
so you could use the time slider to show the images in geospatial context. Simply load the KML file and look for the time slider in the upper left. Then hit the play button or move the slider to load the different images. Once they all load, they should animate smoothly. For a better experience, select the time slider option (a “wrench” icon in GE 5) and adjust the time animation speed, and select “loop animation”.
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
reminds me of how cancer spreads…
where is LV sending all this waste water and trash???
not to be too dramatic, but that growth looks literally like a cancer.
And in the water-starved American southwest, cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix are a cancer.
Amazing. Zoom in on the section of the images that contain Lake Mead, and watch it dry up as Las Vegas grows.
to speak a little in Las Vegas defense:
i recently watched a documentary about how LV is saving water and enforcing those laws. they even have a water police! and the city of LV started that program at least a decade ago… at least in the residential areas… the casinos clearly haven’t heard of the concept of conserving water nor power… LOL…
gardens have to be converted from grass to desert friendly/like gardens!
i hope L.A. does the same! i know LA much better than LV, and LA has a huge water problem…. if they don;t change their ways Mr. Mullholland’s work will have been in vain!
OT: the “historic imagery” is showing footage as old as 1950 for Las Vegas now!
great to see how LV was without the interstate or any big structures… the next step is 1955 and then 1960s… next 1970s… amazing…
urban sprawl should be prohibited at all cost! what’s wrong with living in the city??? LV and most other big US cities grew into the countryside destroying habitat at an accelerated pace… instead of building within the city limits… crazy..! and what a waste of time and resources… the commuting, the power, telecom and water that needs to be channeled to those houses… and most don;t have access to water treatment… disgusting!!!
Las Vegas does indeed have water police who enforce the conservation laws to the fullest. As for the casinos, if it were NOT for the casinos, Nevada would be as broke as California. The casinos are what keep Las Vegas Valley running… Look at California! Its surrounded by water but is still going through a major drought AND is running out of electrical power! Not to mention the billions of dollars in debt it is… Las Vegas grew so quickly because they had decent school, tons upon tons of jobs and affordable yet nice, new housing. Vegas is also low crime! We used to jog around ungated neighborhoods in the middle of the night and that was totally normal and safe. The only thing that ruins it are the people who are irresponsible enough to lose their entire life savings and end up putting their family into less-than-desirable predicaments.
to speak a little in Las Vegas defense:
i recently watched a documentary about how LV is saving water and enforcing those laws. they even have a water police! and the city of LV started that program at least a decade ago… at least in the residential areas… the casinos clearly haven’t heard of the concept of conserving water nor power… LOL…
gardens have to be converted from grass to desert friendly/like gardens!
i hope L.A. does the same! sikiş izle i know LA much better than LV, and LA has a huge water problem…. if they don;t change their ways Mr. Mullholland’s work will have been in vain!