Lake Powell officers take emergency steps to preserve hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will probably be held again in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will increase Lake Powell by almost 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, according to the bureau, though its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was about a 25% probability the Glen Canyon Dam may have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million houses and companies in seven states.

The company said in an announcement Tuesday's determination was intended to guard "hydropower generation, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

The emergency actions will purchase the federal authorities 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"We've by no means taken this step before, but the potential threat on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 ft within the last three years because the West has been besieged by drought. Because the water level has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has misplaced about 16% of its capability to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the general public power utility in Page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill previously instructed CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to present anybody."

The decisions made for Lake Powell also affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the biggest reservoir within the country.

Water cuts for individuals who rely on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's choice may lead to additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water stage is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in line with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company responsible for managing water sources for two.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made another disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable homicide victim from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's seemingly that we will find additional bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops extra.