A popular recreation destination in central Arizona will temporarily close this fall as water managers undertake a major dam inspection and maintenance project.
Canyon Lake, located about 45 minutes east of Phoenix, is scheduled to close to visitors on Sept. 16 for approximately 16 weeks. The temporary shutdown will allow the Salt River Project (SRP) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to conduct inspections and maintenance work at the nearby Mormon Flat and Horse Mesa dams.
As part of the project, Canyon Lake’s water level will be lowered by roughly 54 feet. Officials noted that similar drawdowns were carried out in 1987 and 2007 to support flood-control measures and ensure the long-term operational safety of the dam system.
The water removed from Canyon Lake will not be lost. Instead, it will be stored in other reservoirs within the Salt River system while crews complete the work.
During the closure, all boat ramps and public access points to the lake will be unavailable. However, SRP said water deliveries to customers will continue uninterrupted throughout the project.
The timeline includes four weeks to lower the lake, followed by approximately eight weeks for inspections and maintenance activities. Once the work is complete, crews will spend another four weeks refilling the reservoir using water stored in upstream lakes.
Canyon Lake holds more than 57,000 acre-feet of water when full, enough to supply approximately 173,000 Arizona households for a year, according to SRP.
Officials say the temporary closure is necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of critical infrastructure that supports water storage and flood-control operations across the region.
