The island at high water in May 2007.
The island at normal low water in November 2005.
The island at very low water in November 2007.
| Sandpiper Island is an islet in Lake Lahontan, Nevada, about 32 km (20 miles) east of the Republic of Molossia. The reservoir is almost 27 km (17 miles) long with 111 km (69 miles) of shoreline. When full, it contains 40 square kilometers (10,000 acres) of water. The recent dry conditions have severely curtailed the amount of water in the reservoir, and reduced the water level significantly. This is starkly demonstrated by the condition of Sandpiper Island. The island, which has been visited twice by our Navy, lies just off Blackbird Point, not far from the reservoir's dam. The water level has dropped so dramatically that the island is now joined to shore by a land bridge, and can be walked to. | The island at high water in May 2007. |
The island at normal low water in November 2005. |
The island at very low water in November 2007. |
 Navy Beach at high water in May 2007. |
 Navy Beach at extreme low water in November 2007. |
Another example of the extreme low water can be seen at Navy Beach, where the Molossian Navy normally launches its vessels. The beach is now high and dry and quite far from the water. Water now mostly is confined to the main channel of the reservoir, which lies above the old channel of the Carson River. |
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The final example is the low water level seen at the island itself. The pictures show the water at the beach on Sandpiper Island, where the Navy landed its vessels in May 2007. That beach is now completely dry, and the water in the channel between the island and the shore is nearly dry. It is to presumptive to assume that the low water level is due to global warming. However, hot, dry conditions do seem to be occurring earlier in the year, each year. The lack of precipitation in 2007, coupled with warmer temperatures have certainly aggravated the situation. Added to the increasing need for agricultural water (for which the reservoir was originally created), the two factors certainly point to future water shortages. |
 Sandpiper Island beach at high water in May 2007. |
 Sandpiper Island beach at low water in November 2007. |
 Another view of Sandpiper Island beach at low water in November 2007. |