Lago Mead Schrumpft
Despite last weekmonsoon rains and floodsIn Las Vegas, water levels in Lake Mead, about 30 miles to the east, remain low. you are with themthe lowestsince completionPresa Hooverin the 1930s it stopped the flow of the Colorado River and created this lake in the desert of the southwestern United States.
That was considered a great achievement at the time. But on July 31, 2022, Lake Mead's water level dropped to 1,040.92 feet (317.3 meters), continuing a 22-year downward trend.
The retreating lake is revealing things that have been hidden underwater for decades. People find a lot of garbage, and alsoboats, including a WWII-era vehicle... and human bodies.
And what is moremead lake, on the Colorado River on the Nevada-Arizona border, is the largest reservoir in the United States. The reservoir supplies water to around 25 million people in seven states, tribal areas and northern Mexico.
Lake Mead has been on a downward trend for a few decades. But its water levels havedropped abruptlyin the last two years. Two years ago the lake was at 1,084.65 feet (330.6 meters). A year ago it was 1,067.71 feet (325.4 meters). As of July 31 of this year, at 1,040.92 feet (317.3 meters), the reservoir is barely level27%the capacity.
Patricia Aaron, spokesperson for the Office of Recovery,said NBC News:
This is the lowest level since the reservoir was filled in 1937.
Low tide reveals bodies
People have dumped things in Lake Mead for years, and with the trickling water, some of these mysteries come to the surface.
On May 1, 2022, a boater noticed a barrel stuck in the mud and made the shocking discovery of a dead body inside. Las Vegas Police Departmentto believeHe was a murder victim who died of a gunshot wound. His killers may have dumped him in the lake in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
Six days later, two sisters discovered more skeletal remains while rowing on the lake. Lieutenant Ray Spencer narrated with Las Vegas Police DepartmentLas Vegas 8NewsNow:
I'd say there's a good chance we'll find more human remains as the water levels drop.
It turned out that he was right. On July 25, the National Park Servicereportedthat a passing park ranger drew attention to another group of human remains at Swim Beach in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Investigations are ongoing.
#REST: Body found in a barrel in Lake Mead may have been submerged for four decades, with more bodies likely to surface as the lake recedes due to severe drought, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said.@8NoticiasAhoramy teamhttps://t.co/LhYkciIJDO #8NN
—David Charns (@davidcharns)2. mayo 2022
JUST IN: Another set of human remains has been found in Lake Mead as the reservoir's water levels continue to recede, according to a news release from the National Park Service.#LagoMead pic.twitter.com/k4MRdTAXLZ
— BNN Press Room (@BNNBreaking)27 de julio de 2022
Ships and garbage among other finds
The receding water has also exposed dozens of previously sunken ships, including a World War II-era landing craft. according to aJuly 11 statement to CNNfrom the National Park Service (NPS):
The NPS suspects that this WWII surplus ship was commissioned on the lake for a variety of reasons and then partially salvaged before sinking at its current location. It is not clear if she sank accidentally or scuttled on purpose to dispose of a ship that was no longer usable.
(Video) More Remains Found at Lake Mead Could Date Back to the Mob Days
The shrinking lake has also uncovered many other common human artifacts, including beer cans, sunglasses, baby carriages, tool kits, even ancient pistols and arrowheads, as well as countless amounts of litter scattered about.
Why is Lake Mead drying up?
Scientists say the current state of Lake Mead is a clear example of this.climate changeand aMegadurrethat could bethe worst in the western United States in 1200 years. To 22. July 2022, NASAexpressionsaid:
The low water comes at a time when 74% of the nine western states are facingsome degree of drought; 35% of the area is affected by extreme or exceptional drought. In Colorado, location of the headwaters of the Colorado River,83% of the statenow it is in drought, and theLast winter's blanket of snowit was below average in many places.
Is Lake Mead coming to the Dead Pool?
Lake Mead water level has dropped more than 160 feetsince 1983,the year the Colorado River flooded the spillways of the Hoover Dam. If the reservoir sinks below 895 feet (272.8 meters), about 150 feet (45 meters) lower than it is now, Lake Mead would reach what is calleddead pool level. Dead pool is when the water in a reservoir falls so low that it cannot flow downstream from the dam. If Lake Mead were to reach the Dead Pool, a possibility thatscientists sayIt is still a few years away, with devastating consequences for the millions of people who depend on the reservoir for drinking water and irrigation.
Minimum height of the energy pool
Some media refer to the dead pool as the point at which a dam runs out of water to generate hydroelectric power. The more accurate term for itcorrespondentProfessor at the University of Arizonaroberto glennon, esminimal increase in power pool. Then a reservoir becomes so depleted that not enough water flows through a dam's turbines to turn them, meaning the turbines can't produce electricity. glennonexplained:
When the level of a reservoir approaches the minimum height of the power plant pool, the turbines lose power generation capacity as they begin to suck air along with water and must be shut down before they are damaged. A reservoir that reaches this point usually has plenty of water left before it falls into a dead pool and no more water flows out of the dam.
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According to theUS Bureau of Reclamation, the minimum height of the Lake Mead Power Pool for the Hoover Dam to generate electricity is 950 feet (289 meters) of water depth. As a reminder, on July 31, 2022, the water level of Lake Mead dropped to 1,040.92 feet (317.3 meters), continuing a 22-year downward trend.
The dead pool would not mean that there is no more water in the reservoir. But even before Lake Mead reaches that point, the water level could be so low that the Hoover Dam would have trouble generating hydroelectric power.
that is made
According to an NBC News report, the United States. The Office of Reclamation and water managers in the southwestern United States have put a plan in place. Youto struggleto control the flow of water into the Colorado River and to regulate the use of water among the states of the region.
Since January 2022, states that depend on water from the lower Colorado River have been subject to the cuts that come with alevel 1 deficiency. on July 18, 2022,CNN reportedMore extreme water cuts are almost certain in the southwestern US starting next year, according to the latest government forecast for the Colorado River and Lake Mead.
Last Friday (July 29, 2022) the houseenact powerful lawsProvide $500 million to raise the water level in Lake Mead andver-powell.
Find the most recent Lake Mead water level forecast from the Bureau of ReclamationOverview of Colorado River System Projections.
Bottom Line: As of late July 2022, water levels in Lake Mead are at their lowest since the Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s, continuing a 22-year downward trend. The shrinking lake reveals things that had been hidden underwater for decades, including a World War II ship and a dead body in a barrel.
FAQs
Have they identified the bodies in Lake Mead? ›
Medical examiners have since identified the remains as those of 42-year-old Thomas Erndt, who is believed to have drowned in the lake in 2002. Four more discoveries were made in the months that followed, including at least two sets of partial remains in the park's popular Boulder Beach area.
How many bodies have been found in Lake Mead 2022? ›What to know about the body found in Lake Mead in July 2022: Between a plethora of animal remains, an uncovered World War II-era power boat, and now three dead bodies, Lake Mead is looking increasingly more ominous.
Why are bodies showing up in Lake Mead? ›Why do human remains keep appearing at Lake Mead? Human remains are appearing at Lake Mead as the water level rapidly declines due to a drought. According to Nasa, the lake, which is the largest reservoir in the United States, is currently at just 27% capacity.
How many bodies have been found in Lake Mead because of the drought? ›Another body has been uncovered in the shrinking reservoir, according to officials. Yet another body has been unveiled by the shrinking drought-stricken Lake Mead, bringing the total to at least six skeletal remains as the nation's largest reservoir continues to dwindle.
How many bodies are in Lake Mead so far? ›Officials say the confirmed cause of death for Erndt is still considered undetermined, even though his death was reported as a drowning. Since May, at least five human bodies have been found in the reservoir known as Lake Mead, Newsweek reported.
What is hidden in Lake Mead? ›In the case of Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir, diminishing waters have in recent months uncovered long buried secrets and other mysterious finds: at least three sets of human remains, including a body inside a barrel that could be linked to a mob killing, and a sunken boat dating back to the second world war.
What lake are they finding dead bodies? ›Lake Mead, formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, supplies drinking water to millions of people in California, Arizona, Nevada and part of Mexico. Officials said the water levels are so depleted, they could soon reach "dead pool" status, in which the water is too low to flow downstream to the Hoover Dam.
How many bodies have been recovered at Lake Mead? ›Since May, five human bodies have been discovered in the lake.
Did mobsters dump bodies in Lake Mead? ›Although Lake Mead had obvious attractions as a place to dispose of those fatalities, local Mafia experts have long argued that mobsters preferred to bury bodies in the Nevada desert, as they feared that floating corpses in the reservoir would alarm tourists and discourage them from visiting Vegas.
What is buried under Lake Mead? ›Thomas, Nevada is a ghost town in Clark County, Nevada, near where the Muddy River flows into the Colorado River. St. Thomas was purchased by the US Federal Government and abandoned as the waters of Lake Mead submerged the town in the 1930s.
What was found in Lake Mead recently? ›
Two decades ago, a man vanished in the water in front of his children. This week, their DNA samples helped to identify his remains, among several discovered recently amid a drought. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month.
Where are most dead bodies found? ›The majority (68.5%) of bodies were discovered outside of the respondents' neighborhoods. About a third (31.5%) reported the body was found in their neighborhood, with 11.7% discovered in their home, 5% in someone else's home, and 14.8% found somewhere else in their neighborhood.
How long does it take for a body to decompose in a lake? ›In warm, shallow water, decomposition works quickly, surfacing a corpse within two or three days. But cold water slows decay, and people who drown in deep lakes, 30 metres or below, may never surface.
What is the lake that never gives up her dead? ›Edmund Fitzgerald was battered so intensely by Lake Superior that the 729-foot (222 m) ship split in half; her two pieces lie approximately 170 feet (52 m) apart at a depth of 88 fathoms (530 ft or 160 m). Lightfoot sings that "Superior, they said, never gives up her dead".
What 20 year old mystery was solved at the bottom of Lake Mead? ›Human remains found at Lake Mead earlier this year have been identified as a Las Vegas man who drowned nearly 20 years ago, authorities said. Thomas Erndt, 42, drowned in the lake on Aug. 2, 2002, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office.
Who is the oldest living mobster? ›Summer of grim discoveries continues as more human remains are found at drought-stricken Lake Mead.
Who put bodies in Lake Mead? ›Spilotro was considered a suspect — as perpetrator or director — in almost 20 mob-related murders and disappearances from 1975 to 1977.
What happens if Lake Mead dries up 2022? ›What happens if Lake Mead dries up forever? If Lake Mead were to run out of water, the Hoover Dam would no longer be able to generate power or provide water to surrounding cities and farms. The Colorado River would essentially stop flowing, and the Southwest would be in a major water crisis.
What happens if Lake Mead goes empty? ›Such an event would have an enormous impact on San Diego County where half of the region's total water supply relies on the Colorado River. Other areas of the Southwest could also be severely affected. Regional agricultural use of water could be eliminated, impacting the nation's food supply.
Are there any sharks in Lake Mead? ›
You will not find any sharks in the waters of Lake Mead or the descending Colorado River. There are 10 drop sites to go scuba diving, so you can see the shark-free waters for yourself.
How many bodies recovered from Lake Mead? ›CHICAGO (WLS) -- Five skeletons have now been found in the receding waters of Lake Mead near Las Vegas, once considered a satellite city of the Chicago Outfit.
How much has Lake Mead dropped in 2022? ›Lake Mead is shrinking
It was considered a magnificent achievement at the time. But, as of July 31, 2022, Lake Mead's water level has dropped to 1,040.92 feet (317.3 meters), continuing a 22-year downward trend. The retreating lake is revealing things hidden underwater for decades.
But it predicts that Lake Mead will continue to plummet through 2025 and dip into “dead pool” territory multiple times over the next 50 years.
What happens if Lake Mead runs out? ›What happens if Lake Mead dries up forever? If Lake Mead were to run out of water, the Hoover Dam would no longer be able to generate power or provide water to surrounding cities and farms. The Colorado River would essentially stop flowing, and the Southwest would be in a major water crisis.
How long until Lake Mead is gone? ›It's forecast to drop more than 26 feet by July 2023. If Lake Mead were to keep dropping, the level would eventually approach a danger zone at 895 feet, below which water would no longer pass through Hoover Dam to supply California, Arizona and Mexico — a level known as “dead pool.”