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

The first step is releasing more water from upstream on the Colorado River this year. The second is water will probably be held back in Lake Powell itself, instead of being despatched to downstream states.

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the twin actions will increase 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 accordance with the bureau, though its full capacity is round 25 million acre-feet.

Without the emergency steps, the bureau estimated there was a couple of 25% probability the Glen Canyon Dam might have stopped producing hydropower by January. The dam generates power for as many as 5.8 million homes and companies in seven states.

The agency said in a press release Tuesday's resolution was meant to guard "hydropower era, the facility's key infrastructure, and the water provide for the town of 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've got by no means taken this step before, but the potential danger on the horizon calls for prompt action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a bigger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 ft in the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water degree has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has misplaced about 16% of its capability to generate power.

Bryan Hill, normal supervisor of the general public energy 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 within the country.

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

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to expose one of many reservoir's original, 1971 water intake valves for the first time. The valve can no longer draw water, in response to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water sources for 2.2 million folks in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

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

"The lake has drained dramatically during the last 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's possible that we'll find extra our bodies which were dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops more.