It’s no secret that the American Southwest has been experiencing one of the longest periods of drought in years. However, as Lake Mead — the largest human-made lake in the U.S. — dries up, citizens are discovering more of its secrets.
The Hoover Dam on the Colorado River forms Lake Mead. It’s a reservoir that provides water for parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Due to severe drought, the reservoir is at its lowest since 1937, when the lake was first filled. As of July 2022, the lake is at 1,041.64 feet, just under 27 percent full capacity. When the lake is full, it sits at about 1,229 feet.
Lake Mead is considered the most dangerous national park site, with over 250 deaths in the last decade. So it’s no surprise that human remains have been found as the water level drops. Due to its close proximity to Las Vegas, there is also a rumor that the mob used the lake as a way to discard bodies.
In the drying lake bed, sunken ships and lost cities have been discovered thus far. Here’s a closer look at what is found when waters recede.
Read More: Lake Mead Water Levels Drop Again as Snow Drought Takes Over Western U.S.
Historical Sunken Boats in Lake Mead
Lake Mead is considered “America’s First National Recreational Area.” It’s a place for hiking, stargazing, and boating. It’s also popular, with over seven million visitors each year.
However, it’s also one of the most dangerous, especially if you’re taking a boat out. Lake Mead can go from pristine waters to white cap waves in an instant. High waves can tip and flood boats, causing them to sink. Fluctuating water levels can bring hard-to-see rocks and debris closer to the surface and also cause vessels to sink.
As the water levels drop, it’s no surprise that several sunken boats have been discovered. Speed boats and fishing boats once submerged, are now baking in the desert sun once again. One speedboat was even found sticking out of the mud vertically.
One vessel, a yacht or a houseboat, seems to have sunk decades ago. There is no clear date of when it sank, but the items on board could have been from the 1970s to the 1990s. However, further research is needed to determine the age of the vessel and its contents.
Among the wreckage were kitchen utensils like forks, knives, cappuccino cups, and saucers. A YouTuber also found rusted fire extinguishers, motors, a yachting flag still attached to the flag pole, and a cassette tape.
However, one of the most interesting boats discovered was a World War II-era “Higgins boat” that is now partially exposed. The New Orleans-based Higgins Industries began manufacturing these vessels in the 1940s to help carry soldiers from ships to beaches during invasions. Soldiers used them on D-Day in Normandy.
According to Las Vegas Scuba, after the war, the Higgins craft was used to survey the Colorado River before it was sold to a marina and then sunk. Before the sharp water level drop, the ship was once a great site to scuba dive.
Read More: Preserved Sunken Ship Found in Shipwreck Alley After 120 Years
Lake Mead Exposes a Forgotten Ghost Town
The area around St. Thomas, Nevada, was once a Native American settlement. In 1865, Mormon settlers moved into the area and established St. Thomas. However, upon discovering they had not settled in Utah, they moved on from St. Thomas, burning their homes and abandoning their crops as they left.
New settlers moved in around the 1880s and rebuilt the town, adding a hotel, post office, and school. The population peaked at around 500 people; however, as the Hoover Dam project broke ground in 1931, St. Thomas residents were told to relocate.
The government compensated them for their move, and the last residents left in 1938. Eventually, St. Thomas was swallowed under 60 feet of water. Due to fluctuating water levels, in 2002, the ghost town was once again above the surface, and hikers can walk around the ruins of St. Thomas to this day.
This article was originally published on August 12, 2022, but has been updated with recent information and findings.
Read More: Drought At Lake Powell Reveals Preserved World That Was Once Lost
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
EPA. A Closer Look: Temperature and Drought in the Southwest
USA Today. NASA satellite images show Lake Mead water levels plummeting to lowest point since 1937
Lakes Online. Lake Mead Water Level
KTNV Las Vegas. Lake Mead named deadliest national park in America
NPR. A fourth set of human remains is found at Lake Mead as the water level keeps dropping
National Park Service. Lake Mead
National Park Service. Park Reports
Newsweek. Lake Mead Drought Exposes Creepy Long-Lost Boat Loaded With Artifacts
The National World War II Museum. Research Starters: Higgins Boats
National Park Service. St Thomas, Nevada
A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.
