Crews at Glen Canyon Dam have completed a new water intake connection to accommodate record-low levels at Lake Powell.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials say the work will ensure water will be delivered to the City of Page and the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation even if the lake drops to what’s known as "dead pool." It’s the point at which no excess water can pass through the dam.
Lake Powell is expected to drop to its lowest-ever level before the end of the month and could soon fall below the point needed to generate hydropower.
The declining levels have raised concerns about local water supplies.
The federal government has delivered water to Page since its founding in 1975 and also supplies the 7,500 residents of the LeChee community on the Navajo Nation.
The new project allows water to be drawn from the lake at three different elevations.