The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has freed up $52 million that water managers will use to replace three old turbines at Hoover Dam as forecasters expect Lake Mead levels to plunge to historic lows over the next two years. Previously, the federal agency had said extremely low reservoir levels could cause a 40 percent reduction in hydropower — a concerning sign for utilities that rely on it throughout Nevada, California and Arizona. Older turbines cannot generate power below 1,035 feet in elevation at the reservoir, and hydropower levels would have dropped from 1,302 megawatts to 382 megawatts, the agency said. … Record-low Lake Mead levels are coming largely due to the Bureau of Reclamation’s move to reduce flows out of Lake Powell — a decision made to ensure water can keep flowing in the face of the worst runoff season on record.

Other Colorado River Basin funding news:

• The Salt Lake Tribune: Feds are releasing $35 million for Colorado River projects in Utah
• Post Independent (Glenwood Springs, Colo.): Middle Colorado Watershed Council receives $350,000 wildfire resilience investment
• KSNV (Las Vegas): Bureau of Reclamation to invest $52M in Hoover Dam upgrades amid low Lake Mead levels
• Bureau of Reclamation: Enhancing Hoover Dam’s infrastructure and energy reliability​​