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


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Lake Powell officers take emergency steps to protect hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam
2022-05-05 04:51:17
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The measures are supposed to purchase the encompassing communities more time to plan for the very real chance the reservoir, the nation's second-largest, will quickly run out of water and the flexibility to provide hydropower amid the West's local weather change-driven megadrought.

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water will probably 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 enhance Lake Powell by practically 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, although its full capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company stated in a press release Tuesday's decision was intended to guard "hydropower era, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the 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 got by no means taken this step earlier than, but the potential threat on the horizon demands prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than 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 degree has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capability to generate power.

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the general public energy utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

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

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

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's determination might lead to further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to reveal one of the reservoir's authentic, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can now not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency chargeable for managing water resources 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 level: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable homicide sufferer from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is likely that we are going to find extra our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.


Quelle: www.cnn.com

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