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

Step one is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this yr. The second is water will likely be held back in Lake Powell itself, as an alternative 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 capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% chance the Glen Canyon Dam might 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 said in a statement Tuesday's resolution was supposed to protect "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water supply for the city 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, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo informed reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 ft within the final 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 capability to generate power.

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the public energy utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs to judgment day.

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

The decisions made for Lake Powell additionally have an effect on its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the biggest reservoir in the country.

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to show one of many reservoir's authentic, 1971 water intake valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company chargeable for managing water sources for two.2 million people in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's probably that we'll discover further bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops more.