He projected that as the infestation sets in and begins to clog hydroelectric power cooling pipes and other hardware in Hoover Dam’s operations, the maintenance-and-control bill could reach $1 ...

Not only do they pose a threat to the cooling pipe system for hydroelectric turbines, but also to the network that supplies domestic water for workers and visitors at the dam.

His legs vibrated as he stood in a tunnel tucked into the thick base of Hoover Dam, 430 feet below the tourists looking out over Lake Mead. Beneath him, water roared through steel pipes 13 feet tall.

Water enters the dam’s iconic Art Deco intake towers and flows down penstocks, or pipes, to the turbines, which power the generators.

Hoover Dam has helped store Colorado River water since 1935, but reservoir levels are nearing the lowest point since Lake Mead was filled.

2 News' Isabel Flores spoke to Barnsdall Mayor Johnny Kelley. He said despite concerns of flooding due to severe weather hitting the state, the dam's water levels should be regulated.

If you’re hoping to make a stop at Southern Nevada’s own engineering marvel, here are a few options to get the most bang for your buck.

A set of Glen Canyon Dam pipes that were eroding from the inside have been recoated — two months early and under budget, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Engineers used 600 miles of steel pipe to pour the concrete for the Hoover Dam in 230 large columns. "By running cold water through the pipes, the curing was done in much less time," Johnson said.

Things are so bad that the iconic Hoover Dam is on the brink of its first-ever water shortage. NBC’s Morgan Chesky reports and TODAY’s Al Roker forecasts Western heat alerts into next week.

Understand the impact of climate change on Hoover Dam and its hydropower generation capacity in the Colorado River basin.

A nagging plumbing problem has shut down the visitor center and cut off tours at Hoover Dam three times since Tuesday, but officials hope to have the issue resolved by Friday morning.