Man unearths Nickerson ring hidden for 48 years at Cheney Lake due to low lake levels

CHENEY, Kan. (KSNW) — There is a dire water shortage at Cheney Lake. Water levels are 8.5 feet below normal and dropping. The low water levels open up a unique opportunity for a crowd of antique hunters.

The lake’s low levels have made it the perfect hunting ground for anyone with a metal detector who is looking for antiques and things lost in the lake’s history.

Mark Nutter, a member of that large metal detector group from Wichita, has found nearly anything you could think of, thanks to low water levels at Cheney Lake.

“It’s an opportunity, with the water down, to go out there and just see what you can find,” said Nutter.

Making a discovery, a class ring, lost by a Nickerson man nearly 50 years ago.

“It had been 48 years since he lost it, and so I was able to get his address and I sent his ring back to him, he was pretty happy to get it back,” said Nutter.

Kevin O’Brien, O’Brien’s Marina owner, said there has been little business coming in due to the docks shutting down early. He said they’ve joined in on metal detecting.

“One of the fun things is, as lower it gets, the more interesting stuff we find. One guy found a gold diamond ring, another gentleman has found a gold wedding band, so yeah, they’ve found stuff, there’s some rare coins, there’s a lot of area that you could discover out here,” said O’Brien.

Discovery, intriguing Sarah Miller, whose great uncle founded the Souders Historical Farm Museum just down the road. She said that with old school structures and homes moved for the lake in the 1960s, many antiques could be found.

“Who knows what’s out there? Anything that you find out here, you could probably find out there, possibly pans, jars,” said Miller.

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