KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI -- A car believed to be submerged for more than 40 years was discovered Tuesday after the levels were lowered in a Kalamazoo County lake.

The car, which police believe to be a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, was found buried in the lake bed of Morrow Lake east of Kalamazoo Tuesday, Nov. 26, Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Jim VanDyken said.

Morrow Lake previously underwent a 13-foot drawdown so maintenance work could be done the Morrow Dam. Sheriff’s deputies said previously that two dam spillway gates needed to be repaired or replaced.

Police first saw the buried car Tuesday because of a post circulating on social media, VanDyken said. The car has a 1973 license plate and has likely been underwater for more than 40 years, he said.

The lake level was lowered about six inches per day beginning in early November.

The car will take time and effort to remove because of the “complex nature of its location and the depth that it’s stuck," VanDyken said. The sheriff’s department contracted with McDonald’s Towing and plans to remove the car early next week, he said.

Police will investigate to identify the car, determine how it ended up in the lake and whether anyone was inside of the vehicle at the time, the undersheriff said. Police do not believe the car is connected to any open criminal investigations or missing persons cases, but VanDyken said they must remove the car to investigate and learn more about its backstory.

In the meantime, VanDyken said, the public must leave the car alone. Deputies said previously that people should avoid the exposed lake bed and not approach the water for safety reasons.