U.S. federal government steps in to delay draining of major Colorado River reservoir

DENVER, the United States, May 5 (Xinhua) -- As record low levels threaten water supplies for some 40 million Americans, the U.S. federal government has announced unprecedented measures to boost water levels at Lake Powell, an artificial reservoir on the Colorado River and the second largest of the nation.

According to a statement released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), authorities would delay the release of water from the severely depleted Lake Powell, which could keep 480,000 acre-feet (592,070,400 cubic meters) water in the reservoir, and release an additional 500,000 acre-feet (616,740,000 cubic meters) of water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir upstream 450 miles away into Lake Powell.