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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water will probably be held again in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will boost 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 capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency mentioned in an announcement Tuesday's choice was meant to guard "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for town of Web 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've got by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential risk on the horizon calls for immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 feet in the final 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, common supervisor of the general public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

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

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

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to show one of the reservoir's original, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can no longer draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company responsible for managing water assets for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable murder sufferer 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 doubtless that we'll find extra our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops extra.