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

The first step is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water shall be held back in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being despatched 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, according to the bureau, although its full capacity is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company stated in a press release Tuesday's choice was intended to protect "hydropower generation, the power's key infrastructure, and the water provide for 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 got never taken this step before, but the potential risk on the horizon demands prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, common supervisor of the general public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

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

The decisions made for Lake Powell also affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the country.

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

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can now not draw water, in keeping with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company responsible for managing water sources for two.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's probably that we'll discover further our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water degree drops extra.