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

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this 12 months. The second is water might be held back in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will boost Lake Powell by practically 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, based on the bureau, although its full capacity is around 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam could have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million properties and businesses in seven states.

The company stated in a statement Tuesday's resolution was meant to protect "hydropower era, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for town of Web page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We have now by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential danger on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, normal supervisor of the 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 told CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to offer anybody."

The selections made for Lake Powell additionally have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir in the country.

Water cuts for individuals who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's determination may result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in keeping with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water sources for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable murder sufferer from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is seemingly that we are going to discover extra our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.