A drought has exposed at least two bodies inside Nevada’s Lake Mead as water levels continue to recede in America’s largest reservoir.
The National Park Service said in a Saturday release that a witness reported skeletal remains at Callville Bay on the northwestern shore of Lake Mead, located in Clark County.
“Park rangers responded to the call and are on scene to set a perimeter and recover the remains,” the park service said. “The Clark County Medical Examiner has been contacted to determine the cause of death.”
The report comes just days after Las Vegas police said they discovered a barrel containing the remains of a person they believe was killed in the late ’70s to early ’80s based on the clothing. A more detailed coroner’s report is forthcoming.
Lake Mead was created by the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s. The reservoir is connected to the stem of the Colorado River.
A 20-year drought has dried up the lake, with water levels falling more than 150 feet since 2000, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.