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

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will probably be held again in Lake Powell itself, instead 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, in response to the bureau, although its full capacity is round 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 power for as many as 5.8 million houses and businesses in seven states.

The company mentioned in an announcement Tuesday's choice was supposed to guard "hydropower technology, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the town of 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 now have by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential threat on the horizon demands prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, normal 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 previously informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to give anyone."

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

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

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water assets for two.2 million people in southern Nevada, including 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 sufferer from the 1980s.

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