Bartlett Lake water level expected to rise due to releases following storms

PHOENIX — Bartlett Lake, nestled within the middle of Tonto National Forest, is expected to see its water levels rise starting on Monday afternoon after Salt River Project (SRP) releases water from the nearby Horseshoe Dam.

The water release was reported to start around 1 p.m. and will unload about 4,500 cubic feet per second, which converts to 33,750 gallons per second, according to an announcement.

After a weekend that saw lots of precipitation across the Valley, SRP said the release process was decided on to “manage the storage” between the Bartlett and Horseshoe reservoirs that had been filled to greater heights than usual from Verde Rivers flows.

This will not be a singular experience, as SRP said it will be conducting “varying releases” over the next few weeks to combat flows that “will remain high from recent storms.”

SRP is collaborating with Tonto National Forest staff and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office throughout this process.

The lake was formed in 1939 after the Bartlett Dam became the first dam built on the Verde River.

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