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

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water shall be held again in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being despatched to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin 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, according to the bureau, though its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a few 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam might have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates energy for as many as 5.8 million houses and companies in seven states.

The agency said in an announcement Tuesday's choice was supposed to guard "hydropower technology, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for 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've got by no means taken this step earlier than, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped round 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 capability to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, normal 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 previously informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to provide anybody."

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

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision could lead to additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to expose one of the reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can now not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company liable for managing water sources for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made another disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a physique in a barrel police say is a likely murder victim from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is seemingly that we'll discover further bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops extra.