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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will likely be held back in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative of being sent 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, in accordance with 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 could have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million properties and companies in seven states.

The agency stated in an announcement Tuesday's choice was meant to guard "hydropower generation, the power's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the city of Web page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"Now we have never taken this step before, but the potential danger on the horizon demands immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 feet in the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water degree has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capability to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, normal supervisor of the public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs to judgment day.

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

The choices made for Lake Powell also have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir within the country.

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's choice may result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water stage is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can now not draw water, in line with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency liable for managing water resources for 2.2 million people in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made another disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a body in a barrel police say is a possible murder victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's likely that we are going to find additional our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water degree drops more.