Early Vegas depended on the aquifer which fed the flowing springs supporting the meadows that gave the area its name .
The pumping of water from these caused a large drop in the water levels and ground subsidence over wide areas of the valley .
Early Vegas depended on the aquifer which fed the flowing springs supporting the meadows that gave the area its name , but the pumping of water from these caused a large drop in the water levels and ground subsidence over wide areas of the valley .