Officials announced on Tuesday that more human remains had been discovered in Lake Mead. This is a somber development as the nation’s largest reservoir falls to record lows.
Skeletal remains have already been found three times since May.
Around 8 p.m. on Monday, National Park Service rangers responded to a report and discovered the remains in the Swim Beach area, according to Lake Mead National Recreation Area officials.
A person believed to have been shot dead in the 1970s or 1980s was discovered in a barrel on May 1.
Additionally, skeletal remains were found on May 7, August 6, and Monday.
On July 25, other human remains were discovered at Lake Mead’s Swim Beach in Nevada. A park official claimed at the time that they were not skeletal and that it was unclear whether the discovery was related to declining water levels.
The Western United States’ current drought has contributed to Lake Mead’s water levels reaching historic lows.
The quantity of water that Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico can withdraw from Lake Mead in 2023 will be reduced, the Interior Department revealed on Tuesday.
The department noted a 23-year drought and historic low flow conditions in the Colorado River Basin in a statement.
The announcement made on Tuesday includes a designation for Lake Mead to function in a Tier-2a shortage. The lake has never before been given that designation. Climate change has accelerated the ongoing drought and low discharge to the Colorado River, according to officials.