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

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

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will boost Lake Powell by almost 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, in accordance with the bureau, though its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a few 25% probability the Glen Canyon Dam could have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million homes and companies in seven states.

The company stated in a press release Tuesday's decision was intended to protect "hydropower technology, the power's key infrastructure, and the water provide for town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

The emergency actions will buy the federal government 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"We now have never taken this step before, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, normal supervisor of the general public power utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand instructed CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to give anybody."

The choices made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the biggest reservoir in the nation.

Water cuts for those who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's choice might result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can no longer draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company answerable for managing water sources for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is doubtless that we will discover additional our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water degree drops extra.