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

The first step 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 a substitute 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 line with the bureau, although its full capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency stated in a statement Tuesday's choice was supposed to protect "hydropower era, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply 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 because it considers longer-term measures.

"We now have never taken this step before, however the potential threat on the horizon demands immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, general manager of the public energy utility in Web 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 don't have any water to present anyone."

The selections made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir within the nation.

Water cuts for individuals who rely on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's resolution may result in additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to reveal one of the reservoir's original, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can now not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water sources for 2.2 million people in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made another disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a physique in a barrel police say is a likely murder victim from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is probably that we'll discover extra our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.