A World War II-era boat that was at the bottom of Lake Mead, the largest U.S. reservoir located on the border of Nevada and Arizona, has surfaced from the shrinking body of water, according to multiple sources.
The surfaced ship is a "Higgins boat" that was used for beach landings during the war, according to ABC 7 Chicago. The Associated Press added that the boat was previously 185 feet under the water.
"The boat lies less than a mile from Lake Mead Marina and Hemenway Harbor," according to the AP. "It was used to survey the Colorado River decades ago, sold to the marina and then sunk, according to dive tours company Las Vegas Scuba."
"Around 1,500 'Higgins boats' were deployed at Normandy on June 6, 1944, known as D-Day," the AP added.
The National Park Service posted on their website about the conditions of Lake Mead, alerting visitors about the current launch ramp status. Only the Hemenway Harbor is open for "only shallow hull vessels" and boats under 24 feet.
"Declining water levels due to climate change and 20 years of ongoing drought have reshaped the park’s shorelines," the National Park Service said.
"As Lake Mead continues to recede, extending launch ramps becomes more difficult and more expensive due to the topography and projected decline in water levels. Lake Mead National Recreation Area encourages visitors to plan ahead and stay informed by checking current conditions and alerts."
On Friday, NASA tweeted out images of the water levels at Lake Mead and said that they are the lowest since April 1937 with just 27% of capacity filled.
"Lake Mead has a storied history in its 90 years as a National Park Unit with a variety of cultural and historical artifacts. As water levels recede and fluctuate, it is possible that artifacts we do and don't know about may show themselves," a spokesperson for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area told ABC News.
The WWII-era boat is not the only thing that has surfaced while the lake's water levels have dropped, as two sets of human remains were found within a week in May, according to CBS News.
Lake Mead officials added that the water levels are projected to keep dropping due to the ongoing drought.
"It is possible that this WWII surplus craft was put into service on the lake for various reasons and then partially salvaged before it sank in its current location," Lake Mead National Recreation Area officials said, per NBC News.
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