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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this 12 months. The second is water might be held back in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will increase Lake Powell by practically 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, based on the bureau, though its full capacity 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 properties and companies in seven states.

The company stated in an announcement Tuesday's decision was supposed to protect "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the city of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We have now by no means taken this step before, but the potential threat on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We have to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, basic supervisor 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 told CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to offer anyone."

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

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision may result in additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the primary time. The valve can now not draw water, in response to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company liable for managing water resources 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 body in a barrel police say is a possible homicide victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is doubtless that we will find additional our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops more.