Warbirds in Lake Mead

Meg Godlewski

Friday, September 09, 2022 at 08:50 AM ET

Verified

Vertical stabilizer of a B-29 covered in quagga mussels at the bottom of Lake Mead. [Courtesy of Brett Seymour]

Key Takeaways:

Lake Mead's significantly dropping water levels are making two historically significant World War II aircraft – a B-29 bomber and a PBY Catalina flying boat – increasingly accessible and vulnerable to damage.
Both submerged aircraft are protected as archeological sites, with federal law prohibiting any disturbance, and authorities are concerned about potential tampering as they become easier to reach.
Beyond accessibility, the wrecks face threats from environmental factors like warmer water temperatures, which promote the growth of invasive quagga mussels that attach to and potentially damage the fragile airframes.

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There is a saying to remember when you visit a national park: Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints. Unfortunately, some people ignore that admonishment, and that is what authorities at Lake Mead Recreation Area are concerned about as the water level drops and two World War II aircraft that have been submerged in the lake for decades become easier to access.

Lake Mead is on the border of Arizona and Nevada. At maximum capacity, Lake Mead is 112 miles long and measures 532 feet at its greatest depth. The lake supplies water for Arizona, Nevada, and California. According to park officials, the lake has been steadily shrinking since 1983 because of increased demand for water and a prolonged drought. Federal studies indicate the lake has dropped 64 feet since 2020.