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 12 months. The second is water can be held again in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being despatched to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will increase Lake Powell by almost 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 capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company said in a press release Tuesday's choice was meant to protect "hydropower generation, the power'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 buy the federal authorities 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"We've by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential threat on the horizon calls for immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a larger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, normal supervisor of the public energy utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand advised CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to give anyone."

The selections made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the nation.

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision could lead to additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water degree is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can now not draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company responsible for managing water assets for two.2 million people in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a body in a barrel police say is a likely murder victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is doubtless that we'll find extra bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops extra.