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

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

The US Bureau of Reclamation expects the dual 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, 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% probability the Glen Canyon Dam could 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 stated in a press release Tuesday's determination was meant to guard "hydropower generation, the power'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 purchase the federal government 12 months as it considers longer-term measures.

"Now we have by no means taken this step before, but the potential threat on the horizon calls for immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We have to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir before we face a larger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped round 100 ft in the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. Because the water level has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capacity to generate power.

Bryan Hill, normal manager of the public energy utility in Page, Arizona, likened the scenario to judgment day.

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

The selections made for Lake Powell also affect its downstream neighbor, Lake Mead, which is the biggest reservoir in the country.

Water cuts for many who depend on Lake Mead began in January, and Tuesday's decision might lead to further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water stage is now low enough to show one of the reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can not draw water, in accordance with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the agency accountable for managing water resources for 2.2 million people in southern Nevada, together with Las Vegas.

Officials over the weekend made one other disturbing discovery brought on by Lake Mead's plummeting water degree: a body in a barrel police say is a probable murder victim from the Eighties.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the past 15 years," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It's possible that we are going to discover additional our bodies which have been dumped in Lake Mead" because the water stage drops more.