As lake recedes, relics revealed

Friday, June 25, 2004 | 8:54 a.m.

As Lake Mead continues to drop in the midst of a drought, the National Park Service is asking the public for ideas on how to protect historical treasures emerging from the deep.

There are bound to be surprises hidden in the depths of the man-made reservoir, experts say.

As the lake level declines, the park service and the public may see sites that have been underwater for decades.

"We're just beginning to discover what is down there," park service archaeologist Rosie Pepito said.

When Lake Mead filled behind Hoover Dam in 1935, riverside towns such as St. Thomas, Fort Callville and Rioville were swallowed by the Colorado River's waters.

Some of those treasures are already beginning to emerge, including foundations from the town of St. Thomas, a Mormon settlement that sits atop salt mines where ancient American Indians collected salt.

To prepare for the surfacing surprises, the park service is devising a plan with help from the public.

The park service is preparing a policy on how to protect cultural resources surfacing in the lake and how to eventually educate students and the public about what lies in the deep, Pepito said.

"We just don't know what is down there," Pepito said.

Park service rangers plan to explore and photograph ruins or other finds with remote operated vehicles (ROVs) similar to those used by archaeologists and explorer Robert Ballard when examining the Titanic, Pepito said.

In roughly a year the park service could introduce their findings to Clark County school students, educating them with the sunken treasures.

"Sort of bringing the bottom of the lake to the classroom," Pepito said.

The proposed plan will evaluate the significance of known sites and measure how much protection they require, park service spokeswoman Roxanne Dey said. In addition, Dey said the plan will include provisions for resources uncovered in the future if the lake continues to decline.

The National Park Service is preparing an environmental assessment plan to manage, identify and evaluate alternatives, which is required by federal law, Dey said.

The plan will include a no-action alternative required by federal law.

Written comments should be sent by July 21 to: Superintendent, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Attention: Compliance Office, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV, 89005.