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

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this 12 months. The second is water will be held again in Lake Powell itself, instead of being despatched to downstream states.

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

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam could 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 resolution was meant to protect "hydropower generation, the facility'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 got never taken this step earlier than, but the potential threat on the horizon demands immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 ft in 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 energy.

Bryan Hill, general manager of the public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill previously informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to offer anyone."

The selections made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the biggest reservoir within the country.

Water cuts for those who rely on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's decision may result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to expose one of the reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can now not draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency liable for managing water assets for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable murder sufferer from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is likely that we'll discover further our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water degree drops more.