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

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

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will increase Lake Powell by nearly 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, in keeping 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% likelihood 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 said in an announcement Tuesday's choice was intended 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 purchase the federal authorities 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"Now we have never taken this step before, but the potential threat on the horizon demands prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger crisis."

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

Bryan Hill, general manager 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 previously instructed CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to present anybody."

The selections made for Lake Powell also have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir within the nation.

Water cuts for individuals who rely on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's decision could result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water degree is now low enough to expose one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can no longer draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water assets 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 stage: a body in a barrel police say is a possible homicide victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is seemingly that we are going to discover extra bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.