A Colorado reservoir is so low that it’s returning big ticket items people lost years ago

Here’s a sentence that could only happen in Colorado in 2026: An ice fisherman’s ATV that fell through the ice at Green Mountain Reservoir five years ago has resurfaced — not because someone went looking for it, but because the reservoir is so low that the lake floor is just… right there now.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office announced the find this week with what may be the most perfectly Colorado social media post of the summer: “While low water levels might not be the best news overall, it sure does make for some interesting finds.” The backstory is simple and deeply relatable: Five years ago, an ice fisherman had what the sheriff’s office diplomatically described as “a little mishap” and lost his ATV to the “icy depths” of the reservoir. The machine sank, and everyone assumed it was gone forever.

Enter the drought. Green Mountain Reservoir — a popular recreation spot near Silverthorne, about 90 miles west of Denver on I-70 — is currently sitting at just 23% of its total capacity. The boat ramp has already been closed for the entire 2026 season, with the U.S. Forest Service posting photos showing the ramp sitting more than a dozen feet from the water line. The reservoir has dropped so dramatically that areas normally hidden beneath many feet of water are now fully exposed — including the spot where one unlucky fisherman’s ATV has been resting on the bottom.

The owner of the ATV — who presumably spent the last five years either mourning the loss or pretending it never happened — is now working with the U.S. Forest Service to recover the vehicle before water levels eventually rise again. It’s probably safe to assume the ATV will never run again, but at this point, getting it back at all is a minor miracle of climate and timing.

The sheriff’s office signed off with a teaser: “Only time will tell what else is waiting to be discovered.”