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

The first step is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water can be held back in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will enhance 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 line with the bureau, though its full capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency mentioned in a statement Tuesday's resolution was supposed to guard "hydropower technology, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the city of Web 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've never taken this step before, however the potential risk on the horizon calls for 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 within the final three years as the West has been besieged by drought. Because the water degree has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capability to generate energy.

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

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

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

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

Lake Mead's water degree is now low sufficient to expose one of the reservoir's unique, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in response to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company liable for managing water sources for two.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a physique in a barrel police say is a likely homicide victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we will discover additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops more.