Lake Mead Remains Found at Three Different Times Belonged to Same Man

Three sets of human remains discovered in the depths of Nevada's Lake Mead have been identified, and they all belong to the same man.

The remains were found on three separate dates last year—July 25, August 6 and August 16—during a time when the reservoir's water levels had reached a record low. The remains were discovered near the shore on Boulder Beach, which is in the western part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, minutes from Las Vegas.

Documents from the Clark County coroner's office, obtained by Las Vegas TV station KLAS, said that the three sets of human remains belong to one man, Claude Russell Pensinger, 52, who was last seen in July 1998. He had been fishing with his brother, the documents said.

His brother had been in a different boat at the time. Pensinger was supposed to meet him at a spot on the lake during the day but never showed up, KLAS reported. The documents said that Pensinger had been a Navy and Coast Guard veteran. His brother described him as a good swimmer.

Last summer, Lake Mead's water levels reached a record low of 1,040 feet. The last time Lake Mead's water levels were this low was in 1937. The Colorado River Reservoir was drying up because of the severe drought gripping the western U.S.

During these record-low levels, the lake's receding waters began revealing some gruesome finds. Human remains other than Pensinger's were found, as well as mysterious shipwrecks and long-lost items.

One set of human remains was discovered in a barrel. Police believe these remains belong to the victim of a mob-related shooting but had no further information.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area has been considered one of America's deadliest national parks in terms of drowning, even before the water levels began dropping. Since the lake was created in the 1930s, it is estimated that around 300 people have drowned in the reservoir. This figure is on top of other people who died in other ways and may be in the lake. Although the lake's blue waters can be tempting to visitors, particularly in the summer, the lake is vast in size and very deep.

Lake Mohave, another reservoir in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, is popular for swimming. It is 100 feet deep and covers around 28 surface acres, the National Park Service says. Visitors often underestimate the depth of the water and how far it can be to swim from one point to another.

The human remains are not the only concerns surrounding Lake Mead. The reservoir's declining levels are worrying experts because it provides water for 25 million people living in the Colorado River Basin states.

Lake Mead is formed by Hoover Dam, which produces hydropower for surrounding communities. If the water levels get too low, there will not be enough of it to carry out those operations.

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