Lake Powell officers take emergency steps to protect 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 can be held back in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative 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, based on the bureau, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% probability 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 company said in an announcement Tuesday's resolution was intended to guard "hydropower era, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the city of Web page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We've got never taken this step earlier than, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, basic manager of the general public power utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill previously instructed CNN. "Judgment day being when we don't have any water to present anyone."

The choices made for Lake Powell additionally have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir within the country.

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water sources 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 degree: a physique in a barrel police say is a likely homicide sufferer from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's possible that we'll find additional bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops more.