Lake Powell officials take emergency steps to preserve 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, 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 may have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates energy for as many as 5.8 million properties and companies in seven states.

The agency mentioned in a statement Tuesday's resolution was intended to protect "hydropower era, the facility'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 because it considers longer-term measures.

"We now have never taken this step earlier than, however the potential threat on the horizon demands immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 ft in 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, common supervisor of the general public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill previously advised CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to give anyone."

The decisions made for Lake Powell also affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir in the country.

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

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can no longer draw water, in keeping with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency chargeable for managing water sources for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a body in a barrel police say is a possible murder victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's likely that we'll find further bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops more.