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

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

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual 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, according to the bureau, though its full capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company said in a statement Tuesday's resolution was supposed to guard "hydropower generation, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the town of Web 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, but the potential risk on the horizon calls for prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, general manager of the 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 previously told CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to give anyone."

The decisions made for Lake Powell additionally have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir within the country.

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's choice may result in additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water degree is now low sufficient to reveal one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency liable for managing water resources for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made another disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable homicide victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's doubtless that we will find additional our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops more.