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 year. The second is water will be held back in Lake Powell itself, instead 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, in response to the bureau, though its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam may have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million properties and businesses in seven states.

The company mentioned in a press release Tuesday's decision was intended to guard "hydropower technology, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We have now by no means taken this step before, however the potential threat on the horizon calls for prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo advised reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger disaster."

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

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the general public energy utility in 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 anyone."

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

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency liable for managing water sources for 2.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officers over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a body in a barrel police say is a likely homicide victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we are going to find further our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops more.