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

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

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual 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, based on the bureau, though its full capacity is around 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a few 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam could 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 said in an announcement Tuesday's resolution was supposed to guard "hydropower technology, the power's key infrastructure, and the water supply 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 by no means taken this step earlier than, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 ft within the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water level 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 Web page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

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

The choices made for Lake Powell also affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir in the country.

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

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

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water level: a physique in a barrel police say is a probable homicide victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we are going to find extra bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops more.