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 might be held again in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will increase Lake Powell by nearly 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 capacity 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 power for as many as 5.8 million properties and businesses in seven states.

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

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

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

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 toes in 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 capacity to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, general 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 beforehand told CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to provide anyone."

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 those who depend on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision may lead to further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can now not draw water, in response to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency liable for managing water resources 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 last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is seemingly that we are going to discover additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.