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Today in Focus

The secrets of Lake Mead and the drought exposing them

Today in Focus

The Guardian

Daily News, News

4.65.7K Ratings

🗓️ 26 September 2022

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Drought and overuse have seen water levels drop more than 170ft since 1983, exposing the secrets lying below. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This is the Guardian.

0:08.6

Today, why are dead bodies turning up in one of America's biggest lakes?

0:14.4

The Guardian

0:25.8

Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States.

0:30.0

It's an all-important water source for millions of Americans.

0:34.8

It's also a popular leisure spot where people go out and enjoy a day on the water.

0:41.2

But in May, strange things started happening at the lake.

0:51.0

It's a regular Sunday afternoon at the lake.

0:53.2

People are out escaping the heat on their boats and swimming.

0:57.2

A couple was docking their boat when they heard a scream from a woman on the beach.

1:02.2

It's a corroded metal barrel kind of stuck in the mud near this very popular boat ramp.

1:09.2

And they go to get a closer look and inside they can make up clothing, a shirt and a belt.

1:18.2

And then they realize that they're actually looking at human remains.

1:26.2

The discovery of the body was a shock.

1:29.2

But that was just the beginning.

1:33.2

A week later, another dead body surfaced in Lake Mead.

1:38.2

Then another, and the discoveries didn't stop.

1:46.2

More skeletal remains have been found in Lake Mead, Nevada.

1:50.2

It's the fifth set of remains found so far this year as water levels drop.

1:55.2

Years of drought has meant that water levels at Lake Mead have dropped to a record low.

2:01.2

And covering secrets that have been buried for decades.

2:05.2

We are taking a closer look at the climate crisis and the dangerous drought at Lake Mead.

...

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