Canyon Lake has dropped 54 feet, and crews and deputies are getting a rare look at what has been sitting on the lake bed. SRP and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began lowering the lake east of Phoenix on Sept. 16 so crews can inspect and maintain the normally submerged parts of Mormon Flat Dam and Horse Mesa Dam, along with the river channel downstream of Horse Mesa. The work is done about every 20 years, with the last drawdowns in 2007 and 1987. SRP says the project is planned and not related to drought, that the water is being stored in other reservoirs, and that deliveries to customers are not affected. Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies have been helping search the exposed lake bed. A sheriff’s office representative says most of what they have found is junk, including vape pens, keys, sunglasses, shoes and hats, along with a wheelchair and a suitcase holding old dive equipment. Deputies removed cars from the bottom and have impounded 35 license plates for destruction. He says no ...