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

The first step is releasing extra water from upstream on the Colorado River this 12 months. The second is water shall be held again in Lake Powell itself, as a substitute of being sent to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will enhance 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 keeping with the bureau, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a few 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 businesses in seven states.

The company mentioned in a press release Tuesday's decision was meant to protect "hydropower generation, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water provide for town of 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.

"We've by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential threat on the horizon demands immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo instructed reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger crisis."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 ft within the final three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water stage has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has misplaced about 16% of its capacity to generate energy.

Bryan Hill, basic supervisor of the public power utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the state of affairs to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill beforehand informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we have no water to give anyone."

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

Water cuts for many who rely on Lake Mead started in January, and Tuesday's determination might result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water stage is now low sufficient to show one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water consumption valves for the primary time. The valve can no longer draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency chargeable for managing water assets for two.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is doubtless that we will discover extra bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water level drops extra.