One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

And as Lake Lanier’s level nears a record 20 feet below full pool, muddied cans, bottles, car parts and the unexpected are turning up along the lake’s 692 miles of shoreline.

Lula resident Mitchell Cook was trolling the shore across from the old Gainesville raceway on Cleveland Highway when something caught his eye.

"We was out there looking around and we saw a piece of metal sticking out of the ground," Cook said. "We were digging like we’d found a million dollars."

With the help of a passerby, Cook and his wife, Annette, unearthed an automobile engine that, they estimate, could date back to the 1940s.

"It’s got all four pistons, rods, crank and camshaft, it’s even got the lifters," Cook said. "It’s a blue engine, still got the paint on it — probably a Ford."

Cook said he was unable to lift the extremely heavy engine, otherwise he would have taken it home.

"I’m going back, just to walk around and find out what I do find," he said.

"The more the water’s down, the more things will be showing. There’s no telling what you might find out there," Cook said.

Bonny Putney is a board member of Rivers Alive, an organization dedicated to keeping local water bodies free of litter. On two Saturday mornings in December, Putney and others raked the shores of Lake Lanier, disposing of the trash exposed from low water levels.

"There’s so much garbage out there it’s unbelievable," Putney said. But out of the six tons of trash the group collected between the two outings, there were a few treasures found.

"There’s all kinds of cool stuff coming up," she said. "We’ve found sunglasses, jewelry, small electronics ... a refrigerator and an old car."

And while the car was too rusted out to determine what kind it was, she said she was sure of another find: A pair of dentures.

During clean-ups, Putney said Rivers Alive participants have discovered a class ring and Army dog tags, as well as many pairs of intact sunglasses, ready to be worn. One volunteer even found a pair of Oakley shades.

But the majority of the items lurking in the murk and mire are just plain trash, Putney said. Beer and soda cans and bottles abound.

Putney said that she’s started to collect old Coke bottles as she leads the effort to restore the lake to its natural beauty. But many bottles she’s found near the lake bear name brands she does not recognize.

"Some of these cans of beer and soft drinks are from the 70s and stuff. I don’t think they even make them anymore," she said.

Putney said she and other members of Rivers Alive are taking advantage of the lake’s low levels to collect trash, as well as that occasional treasure. The next Rivers Alive shore cleanup will take place in January.

"We encourage everyone to grab a trash bag and pick up as much trash as you can," Putney said. "It’s great exercise and you might find something interesting."