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 year. The second is water shall be held back in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will enhance Lake Powell by almost 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, in keeping with the bureau, though its full capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

With out 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 properties and companies in seven states.

The agency mentioned in a press release Tuesday's decision was intended to guard "hydropower generation, 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 purchase the federal authorities 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"We've got never taken this step before, but the potential risk on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the general 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 beforehand advised CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to provide anybody."

The choices made for Lake Powell also have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir within the nation.

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

Lake Mead's water degree is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company liable for managing water sources for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's possible that we will discover further bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops more.