Lake Powell officials 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 might be held again 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 nearly 1 million acre-feet of water. The reservoir contained about 5.8 million acre-feet of water as of Tuesday, according to the bureau, although its full capability is around 25 million acre-feet.

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

The company mentioned in an announcement Tuesday's decision was intended to protect "hydropower era, the ability's key infrastructure, and the water supply for town of Page, Arizona, and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation."

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

"We have now by no means taken this step earlier than, however the potential danger on the horizon demands immediate action," Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, Tanya Trujillo told reporters. "We need to work collectively to stabilize the reservoir earlier than we face a bigger disaster."

Lake Powell has dropped around 100 feet within the last three years as the West has been besieged by drought. As the water level has fallen, Glen Canyon Dam has lost about 16% of its capacity to generate energy.

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

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

The choices made for Lake Powell also have an effect on 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 resolution may result in further restrictions.

Lake Mead's water level is now low enough to reveal one of the reservoir's unique, 1971 water consumption valves for the first time. The valve can no longer draw water, according to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the company accountable for managing water sources for two.2 million people in southern Nevada, including Las Vegas.

Officials 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 probable murder victim from the 1980s.

"The lake has drained dramatically over the last 15 years," mentioned Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Murder Lieutenant Ray Spencer. "It is likely that we'll find further our bodies that have been dumped in Lake Mead" as the water degree drops extra.