Canyon Lake closing in fall for safety inspections, maintenance

Canyon Lake, a popular reservoir about 45 minutes east of Phoenix, will be closed to visitors for about four months beginning on Sept. 16.

The area’s closure has been scheduled for Salt River Project and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to address water levels at the Mormon Flat and Horse Mesa dams, according to a news release.

The lake’s level will be lowered by about 54 feet over the approximate 16 weeks, the exact same process was done in 1987 and 2007. This action will enforce flood control and operational safety of the dams.

All water that is lowered will be stored in surrounding reservoirs while work is being done.

Details, effects of Canyon Lake closure in fall

All boat ramps and lake access points will be shut down while work is done, but SRP customers’ water delivery will not be impacted.

The project’s timeline will begin with four weeks of lowering the water level. Then eight weeks for the lake and dam inspection, which will be followed by maintenance work. The final four weeks will be spent re-filling the lake back to normal level.

The re-filling process of the lake will be conducted with water from reservoirs located upstream.

The lake in central Arizona contains more than 57,000 acre-feet of water, which is enough to provide around 173,000 Arizona families water for a year, according to SRP.

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