Soundscape

The Sound of Wonder

 

The soundscapes at Lake Mead are as varied as the landscapes. Each place has its own distinct sounds to savor.

NPS photo/Andrew Cattoir

Stop. Close your eyes. Listen to the sounds of Lake Mead (see below). Perhaps you can hear the wind, the rustling of leaves along with the bird song.

Are you feeling just a little more relaxed? The unique soundscape of the park can awaken a sense of wonder that connects us to this special place.

The audio equivalent of a landscape, a natural soundscape is the combination of an area’s natural sounds. Natural soundscapes can include everything from animal and bird sounds to rushing water, wind through vegetation, thunderstorms or rock fall.

In a survey of the American Public, 95 percent of participants felt that experiencing natural peace and the sounds of nature were important reasons to visit national parks.

 

 

Coyotes are social animals that communicate through sound. Their chorus is so evocative and compelling that they have been called "song dogs."

NPS Photo/Andrew Cattoir

Sounds are important for wildlife, as well. Animals use sounds to communicate, hunt and establish territory. In the wild, the ability to hear is so important for survival that no naturally deaf vertebrate species are known to exist. Their survival depends on their ability to hear.

Lake Mead monitors the acoustic environment and makes audio recordings to learn more about the park’s unique ecological and cultural soundscapes. This monitoring helps us reduce noise so that visitors can enjoy the natural park setting, as well. Reducing noise also allows animals to hear sounds so important for survival. (See map at bottom of page)

 

Northshore Road winds through the Redstone area of the park.

NPS Photo/Andrew Cattoir

One way Lake Mead has reduced sound is with the use of “quiet pavement” on Northshore Road. Tires on road surfaces can create a significant amount of noise in an otherwise quiet environment. The use of this special surfacing reduces that noise and allows greater enjoyment of the natural quiet. It has the additional benefit of making for a safer road surface in wet conditions.

Visitors who seek solitude can find peaceful natural sounds in many areas at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Visiting one of the nine wilderness areas in the park is a good place to start. (Wilderness at Lake Mead)

 

Sound vs. Noise

Sound is a form of energy that is transmitted by pressure variations which the human ear can detect. When a coyote howls, the vibrating vocal chords set air particles into vibration and generate pressure waves in the air. A person nearby may then hear the sound of the coyote when the pressure waves are perceived by the ear.

Noise is unwanted sound but is subjective. While one person may enjoy the sound of a radio, someone else may perceive it as noise.

The noise from an increasingly motorized world can obscure the natural quiet in much the same way that smog impacts the visual environment.

 

You can help others enjoy the natural quiet by speaking quietly when on hikes, turning off vehicle engines when possible, switching your cell phone and other electronic devices to the mute setting, using quiet generators in campgrounds and being aware of campground quiet areas.

Make sure the sounds you make are appropriate for a park setting whether that is on the road, in the water or on the trail.

 

 

To hear a recording and learn more about the different monitoring sites, click any black icon.