More human remains found in Lake Mead as shoreline continues to recede
More human remains have been discovered on the shores of Lake Mead, marking the fourth discovery of its kind since May as the lake’s shoreline continued to recede due to drought.
National Park Service rangers received a call Saturday morning reporting the discovery of a “human skeleton” at Lake Mead’s Boulder Basin Swimming Beach, by Park Service. Authorities established a perimeter around the remains and retrieved them with assistance from a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police diving team.
The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office is trying to determine when and how the person died as investigators review missing persons records, Park Service officials said.
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Many sets of human remains, dozens sunken boatTrash cans and baby strollers were found by the lakeside this summer when water levels were at their lowest since the reservoir was first filled.
On May 1st, container for human remains which police thought was likely dumped in the 1970s or 1980s was found near Port Hemenway, and more sets of remains were discovered on the shore by paddlers a week later. Most recently, a partial human remains was found in the Boulder Beach area on July 25.
Police and experts say more remains and other items could be found as the water level continues to recede.
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Lake Mead, the nation’s largest built reservoir surface, has fallen more than 170 feet since the reservoir filled in 1983 because of the ongoing drought and the heavy use of water by the neighboring states. The lake was created by separating the Colorado River from the Hoover Dam, and while it has been completely filled several times, its water levels have receded over the years.
Large areas of the western United States are currently experiencing moderate to extreme drought, including California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. According to data from the National Center for Drought Mitigation.
Scientists have warned that increased drought is a result of global warming, mainly due to increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The US House of Representatives last month passed a drought and wildfire relief package authorizing funding for drought relief efforts on the Colorado River. as part of the Wildfires and Drought Response Act.
Contributions: Associated Press; Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY