The United States’ largest reservoir has seen its water levels drop to historic lows over the summer due to drought conditions. Since May 1, several discoveries have been made, including skeletal remains. The Clark County Coroner in Las Vegas identified the remains, which were found in Callville Bay, as those of Thomas Erndt, spokesman Dan Kulin said. Mr. Erndt was reported drowned on Aug. 2, 2002, he said. “The identification was based on investigative information, DNA analysis and reports from the original incident,” Mr. Kulin said in a statement. “The cause and manner of Mr. Erndt’s death have not been determined.” According to a death notice published in the Las Vegas Review Journal on August 8, 2002, Mr. Erndt “jumped from a boat on August 2, is missing and is believed to have drowned.” In an obituary published in the Cincinnati Enquirer on Aug. 13, the 42-year-old was described as a devoted father of two and a resident of the College Hill neighborhood in Las Vegas. Earlier in May, a barrel containing the body of a man who had been shot was found in the lake. On May 3, police said the killing is believed to have occurred between the mid-1970s and early 1980s because the victim was wearing shoes made during that time. Investigators are looking into whether the death may be mob-related, homicide detective Lt. Ray Spencer told The New York Times. In July, a third body was discovered in a stretch of the lake about 30 minutes from the notorious mob-founded Las Vegas strip. Image: The water level is at an unprecedented low level, according to data. Photo: NASA After the discovery of the first two bodies, Oscar Goodman, who has represented mobsters as a lawyer, said the former clients seemed to be interested in “climate control” – mob talk about keeping the lake level high, so they don’t bodies are found. Lake Mead, formed by Hoover Dam in the 1930s, and Lake Powell, upstream, are part of a system that provides water to more than 40 million people in states including Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada. In July, NASA released images showing the lake’s decline, which is at its lowest level since 1937.
