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 an alternative of being despatched 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, in keeping with the bureau, though its full capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was about a 25% likelihood the Glen Canyon Dam may 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 stated in an announcement Tuesday's determination was supposed to protect "hydropower technology, the power'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 buy the federal authorities 12 months because it considers longer-term measures.

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

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 feet within the final three years as the West has been besieged by drought. Because the water level has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capability to generate power.

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

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

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

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

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to reveal one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company answerable for managing water sources for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made another disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a physique in a barrel police say is a likely murder sufferer from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we will discover additional bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops extra.