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

The first step is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will be held again in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin 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, according to the bureau, although its full capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.

Without 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 properties and businesses in seven states.

The agency said in a statement Tuesday's determination was intended to protect "hydropower era, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the town of Web 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 have now never taken this step before, but the potential danger on the horizon demands immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 feet 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 capability to generate power.

Bryan Hill, common supervisor of the public power utility in Page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to provide anybody."

The decisions made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the nation.

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's determination might result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to reveal one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency answerable for managing water assets for two.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable murder sufferer from the 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 further our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water degree drops extra.