Lake Mead Status?

[MiddenMonster]

A while back there was a discussion about all the cool stuff and bodies being found around the Hoover Dam because of the dropping water levels. Does anyone know if the last two years of snow and rain have changed that, or is more and more stuff still being exposed? I'm kind of torn on this. On the one hand, they really need water out there. On the other hand, there is almost 100 years of history that is becoming visible. But what a recovery if they start talking about having to open the spillways again for the first time in decades.

 

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[PetesPockets55]

I've heard some reports saying the drought isn't an immediate problem, so the water level has probably risen.

 

[MiddenMonster]

I've heard some reports saying the drought isn't an immediate problem, so the water level has probably risen.

There is a lot of space between "isn't an immediate problem" and water having to be directed to the spillways. But if there has been any significant raise to the water level, it probably ruins any chance of finding anything in the soil and silt. Just imagine all the stuff that's washed into the reservoir in the last 90 years. Heck, if there is gold in the mountains above the dam I bet a lot of it has washed down and accumulated next to a mob body. Then there would be all the jewelry lost by people when getting all recreational in the lake.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Lake Mead National Recreation (NRA) is off limits to treasure or cache hunting, as are all NRAs.

In fact if you are caught with a working metal detector, not locked in your vehicle, the metal detector will be confiscated on sight and you will be charged with a federal crime. Happens several times a year there.

The detector thing will end up with a fine and the loss of your equipment. If you are caught digging or removing objects it's gonna get hairy. Arrest and possible federal jail time type hairy.

You are dealing with the National Park Service when you are in a NRA. They are pretty rough on folks who pick flowers - try removing "historic" objects and things will go sideways real quick.

 

[Mackaydon]

Lake Mead Water Level

Lake Mead Water Level including historical chart

mead.uslakes.info

Don in SoCal

 

[MiddenMonster]

Lake Mead Water Level

Lake Mead Water Level including historical chart

mead.uslakes.info

Hmmm...so roughly 30'-35' higher than a couple of years ago, but still more than 152' below full. This could definitely be a multi-decade process to fill it back up.

You are dealing with the National Park Service when you are in a NRA. They are pretty rough on folks who pick flowers - try removing "historic" objects and things will go sideways real quick.

So how does that work if you are not using a metal detector, and are just scouring the area looking for wedding/class rings, modern jewelry, etc?

 

[Clay Diggins]

So how does that work if you are not using a metal detector, and are just scouring the area looking for wedding/class rings, modern jewelry, etc?

Well I could repeat the law but you don't seem to understand no treasure or cache hunting allowed. Here is an interview with the National Park Service from a local TV channel:

While it’s tempting for some to take home ‘treasures’ from a trip to the lake, it’s actually illegal to remove anything from the lake and surrounding Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

“If personal effects are found on the beach or the open water, visitors can leave these items at nearby ranger stations or can drop them off at entrance stations before they leave the park,” the NPS told 8 News Now. “Otherwise, if items are found within or part of a larger area for a sunken vessel, they should leave the items alone and call Lake Mead Dispatch (702-293-8998) for them to manage the area appropriately once on scene.”

The NPS also stated if someone is found to have removed something from National Park Service property they could find themselves in trouble with the law. “There are formal policies, including the NPS’s Code of Federal Regulations states in Title 36, under the Preservation of Natural, Cultural and Archeological Resources, that the taking of items from NPS lands along with the possession is a class B misdemeanor; all of which are punishable by a fine (up to $5,000) or other penalties. Additionally, collecting surface finds that are exposed, or not dug up is also a violation of the Archeological Resource Protection Act.”

Remember the rules if you plan on exploring Lake Mead in 2023

Soon the temperature in the Desert Southwest will begin to climb and there will be more sunny days. This will lead many people to travel to Lake Mead to boat, fish, swim, and explore. But as plans …

www.8newsnow.com

 

[Mackaydon]

Lake Mead is considered at full capacity when water levels reach 1,220 feet above sea level, but it's able to hold a maximum of 1,229 feet of water. The last time the lake approached this capacity was in the summer of 1983. It's now at 1076.
Don in SoCal

 

[sprailroad]

Lake Mead National Recreation (NRA) is off limits to treasure or cache hunting, as are all NRAs.

In fact if you are caught with a working metal detector, not locked in your vehicle, the metal detector will be confiscated on sight and you will be charged with a federal crime. Happens several times a year there.

The detector thing will end up with a fine and the loss of your equipment. If you are caught digging or removing objects it's gonna get hairy. Arrest and possible federal jail time type hairy.

You are dealing with the National Park Service when you are in a NRA. They are pretty rough on folks who pick flowers - try removing "historic" objects and things will go sideways real quick.

I fully agree with the NATIONAL PARK Service, bad enough finding Lincoln penny's with a METAL DETECTOR!!!...but picking FLOWER's??!! For the love of God people, have we no shame? Think of the threat to National Security alone! The loose change, pull-tabs & bottle caps do need to be preserved for future generations. Etc. etc. etc.

 

[robertk]

I fully agree with the NATIONAL PARK Service, bad enough finding Lincoln penny's with a METAL DETECTOR!!!...but picking FLOWER's??!! For the love of God people, have we no shame? Think of the threat to National Security alone! The loose change, pull-tabs & bottle caps do need to be preserved for future generations. Etc. etc. etc.

It's a matter of scale. If one person picks a flower, so what? But if there are ten million visitors to a park in a year, and they all pick a flower, it's a disaster. Even if only one in a hundred picks a flower, that's tell a hundred thousand flowers leaving the park that otherwise could have propogated into more flowers.

Now the bottle caps and pull tabs, sure, pick those up. I really doubt anyone will challenge that.

 

[sprailroad]

It's a matter of scale. If one person picks a flower, so what? But if there are ten million visitors to a park in a year, and they all pick a flower, it's a disaster. Even if only one in a hundred picks a flower, that's tell a hundred thousand flowers leaving the park that otherwise could have propogated into more flowers.

Now the bottle caps and pull tabs, sure, pick those up. I really doubt anyone will challenge that.

The flower thing?, it was humor. Besides, I do not see ten million detectorists walking around in a dry lake bed much. Bottle caps and pull tabs? you really doubt anyone would challenge that? In Lake Mead NRA they would, O yes sir they would, yes sir they would very much indeed.

 

[robertk]

Bottle caps and pull tabs? you really doubt anyone would challenge that? In Lake Mead NRA they would, O yes sir they would, yes sir they would very much indeed.

Seriously? They won't even let you pick up trash? (I'm talking about surface stuff, not walking around with a metal detector and a pocket full of pull tabs.). If so, that;s just sad. Too literal an interpretation of the "law", IMO.

 

[sprailroad]

Was not talking about being a good citizen walking around picking up trash, this being primarily a metal detecting forum, and "robertk" specifically mentioned metal detectors in regards to the National Park Service,....perhaps we are on two different forums? Could be one of us was not specific enough. Moving on.....

 

[robertk]

Was not talking about being a good citizen walking around picking up trash, this being primarily a metal detecting forum, and "robertk" specifically mentioned metal detectors in regards to the National Park Service,....perhaps we are on two different forums? Could be one of us was not specific enough. Moving on.....

?? Someone mentioned picking flowers. That isn't a metal detector activity (unless they're growing chrome flowers now?).

Agreed, though... moving on.

 

[MiddenMonster]

?? Someone mentioned picking flowers.

We got that jive going on here in Texas, too. President Lyndon Johnson's wife got on a kick to spread the joy of wildflowers around the state, so now the state plants wildflowers on medians around highways throughout the state. Come May there will be a lot of people pulling over to take pictures of their kids up to their necks in bluebonnets and other wildflowers. And some of them will get arrested for trying to collect the seeds, especially from the bluebonnets.

 

[cudamark]

I just can't understand why NRA or any governmental agency would not want metals removed from lakes and rivers. Won't that improve the environment for fish and other wildlife? There are all these dire warnings about lead, but, they wouldn't want that same lead removed? I must pull over 50 lbs. a year out of the ocean. It seems to me that lakes (especially ones that hold our drinking water) would benefit from our removing it there too, and other heavy metals as well. Copper and zinc can be toxic to plants and animals as well, in certain concentrations and situations.

 

[sprailroad]

I just can't understand why NRA or any governmental agency would not want metals removed from lakes and rivers. Won't that improve the environment for fish and other wildlife? There are all these dire warnings about lead, but, they wouldn't want that same lead removed? I must pull over 50 lbs. a year out of the ocean. It seems to me that lakes (especially ones that hold our drinking water) would benefit from our removing it there too, and other heavy metals as well. Copper and zinc can be toxic to plants and animals as well, in certain concentrations and situations.

cudamark, I agree with all of that. It's the "government agency" that takes issue with that. There IS no understanding for their reasoning, according to them? every can, Pulltab, sinker and bottle cap in that dry lake bed is theirs, and it must be preserved for future generations. Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do or be arrested and fined.

 

[MiddenMonster]

I just can't understand why NRA or any governmental agency would not want metals removed from lakes and rivers. Won't that improve the environment for fish and other wildlife?

While I might not agree with the law, I do understand the logic behind why they would go to such extremes. From their perspective it might be too distracting to have to deal with taking the time to determine if someone is just picking up bottle caps and tin cans, as opposed to looking for washed down gold nuggets or artifacts. How much petrified wood was taken from the Petrified National Forest Park before it was illegal, considering that there is still many tons taken illegally every year these days? If they just cite/arrest everyone who appears to be doing "something", they don't have to spend time investigating, and they also get to pull in revenue from the poor schmucks who might just be trying to do a good deed.

 

[cudamark]

Why would they care about people looking for and finding gold nuggets and artifacts? If they're all that worried about them getting away, why don't they dig them up themselves or have some archeological group do it. No point in having those items buried under a lake. It doesn't seem logical to me at all.

 

[robertk]

Why would they care about people looking for and finding gold nuggets and artifacts? If they're all that worried about them getting away, why don't they dig them up themselves or have some archeological group do it. No point in having those items buried under a lake. It doesn't seem logical to me at all.

You're expecting logic from government?