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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water can be held back in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being despatched to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will boost 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, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency said in a statement Tuesday's choice was supposed to protect "hydropower era, the power's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We've by no means taken this step before, but the potential danger on the horizon demands prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We have to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

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

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

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand advised CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to offer anyone."

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

Water cuts for those who depend on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision might result in additional restrictions.

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

Officers over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a body in a barrel police say is a likely murder victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we'll find additional our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops extra.