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

The first step is releasing extra 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 a few 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam might 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 stated in a press release Tuesday's choice was intended to protect "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water supply for town of Web page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We've never taken this step before, but the potential threat on the horizon demands prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We have to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than 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. Because the water stage has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has misplaced about 16% of its capability to generate power.

Bryan Hill, general manager of the public power utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand told CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to provide anyone."

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

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision might result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to reveal one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the primary time. The valve can no longer draw water, in response to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company responsible for managing water sources for two.2 million folks 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 physique in a barrel police say is a probable murder victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we will discover extra our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops more.