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

The first step is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will 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 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, based on the bureau, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company said in an announcement Tuesday's determination was intended to protect "hydropower era, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the city of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We now have by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential danger on the horizon demands prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 ft in the last three years because the West has been besieged by drought. As the water degree has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capacity to generate power.

Bryan Hill, basic manager of the general public energy utility in 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 have no water to provide anyone."

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

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's determination could lead to additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency answerable for managing water resources for 2.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made another disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a body in a barrel police say is a likely homicide victim from the 1980s.

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