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

Step one is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this 12 months. The second is water will likely be held back in Lake Powell itself, instead of being despatched to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual actions will boost Lake Powell by practically 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, based on the bureau, though its full capability is round 25 million acre-feet.

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

The agency said in an announcement Tuesday's determination was meant to guard "hydropower era, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the city of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

The emergency actions will buy the federal government 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"We now have never taken this step earlier than, but the potential risk on the horizon calls for prompt motion," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a larger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped around 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 lost about 16% of its capacity to generate power.

Bryan Hill, common manager of the general public power utility in Web page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

"We're knocking on the door of judgment day," Hill previously informed CNN. "Judgment day being when we haven't any water to offer anybody."

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

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

Lake Mead's water level is now low sufficient to reveal one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the primary time. The valve can now not draw water, based on the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency chargeable for managing water resources for 2.2 million individuals in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officers 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 likely murder victim from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Homicide Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's probably that we will find additional our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" as the water stage drops more.