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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. 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 twin 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 response to the bureau, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency stated in a press release Tuesday's determination was meant to guard "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We now have by no means taken this step before, however the potential threat on the horizon calls for immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a larger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, common manager of the general 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 beforehand told CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to offer anybody."

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

Water cuts for those who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's determination may lead to further restrictions.

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

Officers over the weekend made another disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a body in a barrel police say is a possible murder sufferer from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is seemingly that we will find additional our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops more.