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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water can 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 accordance with the bureau, though its full capacity is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency said in a press release Tuesday's resolution was meant to protect "hydropower technology, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water supply for town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"Now we have by no means taken this step earlier than, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 toes in the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water level has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capacity to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, general supervisor of the general public power utility in Page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs 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 provide anybody."

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

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's determination may lead to additional restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to expose one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in keeping with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company chargeable for managing water assets for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made another disturbing discovery introduced on by Lake Mead's plummeting water stage: a body in a barrel police say is a probable murder victim from the Nineteen Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," stated Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we'll discover additional our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" as the water degree drops more.