Lake Powell officials take emergency steps to preserve hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam
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2022-05-05 04:51:17
#Lake #Powell #officers #emergency #steps #preserve #hydropower #Glen #Canyon #Dam
The measures are supposed to purchase the surrounding communities more time to plan for the very actual chance the reservoir, the nation's second-largest, will soon run out of water and the flexibility to produce hydropower amid the West's climate change-driven megadrought.
Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water can be held again in Lake Powell itself, instead of being sent to downstream states.
The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual 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 capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.
With out the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was about a 25% likelihood the Glen Canyon Dam could have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power 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 supply for the town of Web page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."
The emergency actions will buy the federal authorities 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.
"We have never taken this step earlier than, however the potential risk on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We need to work together to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger crisis."
Lake Powell has dropped round 100 toes within the final three years because the West has been besieged by drought. Because the water stage has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capacity to generate energy.
Bryan Hill, normal manager of the public energy utility in Web 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 don't have any water to present anyone."
The decisions made for Lake Powell additionally affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the most important reservoir in the nation.
Water cuts for those who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's decision might result in further restrictions.
Lake Mead's water degree is now low enough to reveal one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the primary time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency chargeable for managing water resources for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.
Officers over the weekend made another disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a body in a barrel police say is a likely homicide sufferer from the Eighties.
"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is possible that we'll find extra bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" as the water level drops extra.
Quelle: www.cnn.com