Lake Powell officers 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 back in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent 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, in keeping with the bureau, although its full capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.

With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% likelihood the Glen Canyon Dam could have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates energy for as many as 5.8 million homes and companies in seven states.

The company mentioned in a press release Tuesday's determination was intended to protect "hydropower technology, the facility'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.

"Now we have never taken this step earlier than, however the potential threat on the horizon demands immediate motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 feet in the final 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 energy.

Bryan Hill, common supervisor of the general public power utility in Page, Arizona, likened the situation to judgment day.

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

The choices made for Lake Powell also have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir in the nation.

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company answerable for managing water resources for two.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's likely that we are going to discover further our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops extra.