Lake Havasu
Locations
USA > Southwest > Arizona
USA > West > California
Lake Havasu: Description
Lake Havasu's 20,400 acres, formed behind Parker Dam on the Colorado River, is a boating paradise. Around Lake Havasu City, the most recognizable sight is the London Bridge, completely moved from Great Britain to this unlikely location. Robert McCulloch (of McCulloch chainsaw fame) bought the bridge and is the founder of Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Lake Havasu is quite well known for its recreational fishing and boating. Boat races are common here and many 'Spring Break' type of social activities are available for the younger set. Visitors seek Havasu's cool, clear waters well-known for various water sports including water skiing, speed boating, jet skiing, sailing, canoeing and kayaking. Lake Havasu City, with its multitude of hotels, motels and businesses, is located on Lake Havasu and provides all the amenities one could hope for.
Lake Havasu, a jewel in the otherwise arid desert, lies on the Arizona/California border. Parker Dam, the genesis of Lake Havasu, was built between 1934 and 1938 and was created by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Parker Dam is 12 miles NE of Parker, Arizona. The waters of Lake Havasu behind the Dam are about 45 miles long. Lake Havasu can store nearly 211 billion gallons to satisfy the drinking water, power, and irrigation demands of the Lower Colorado River Basin. Parker Dam's primary purpose is to provide reservoir storage for water to be pumped into the Colorado River Aqueduct and Central Arizona Project Aqueducts. Funds advanced by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California enabled construction of Parker Dam, and water from Lake Havasu has been delivered to the Los Angeles metropolitan area since 1941 through the Colorado River Aqueduct. The Colorado River Aqueduct is also tapped by the San Diego Aqueduct, taking water to that city.
Lake Havasu visitors, looking for a temporary escape, will love the available camping. There are two public campgrounds located on the Parker Strip on the Colorado River; Cattail Cove and Windsor Beach State Park are both excellent camping locations with boat launching and rentals. There are 125 lake shore campsites available along the Arizona side of Lake Havasu, from Lake Havasu City to Parker Dam. Most sites have a picnic table, shade, BBQ grill, pit toilet and trash can, and are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Also, there are more than 100 geocaches situated in the area for new 'finds'. Nearly 50 of these are in Lake Havasu City. Many are relatively easy to find, log and add to your total.
Lake Havasu is very popular with anglers for its striped bass, channel catfish, and carp. Bluegill, sunfish, and largemouth bass are found in the Lake, providing excellent sport fishing. With mild winters, fishing is good year round.
Certainly, Lake Havasu is a premiere destination for either those who like to get away from it all while enjoying the outdoors, or those who want Lake Havasu's boating as well as the night life and city amenities of Lake Havasu City. It offers a little bit of relaxation for everyone.
Lake Havasu: Statistics
- Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed
- Water level control: US Bureau of Reclamation
- Area: 20,400 acres
- Shoreline length: 450 miles
- Normal elevation: 445 feet
- Maximum elevation: 455 feet
- Mean depth: 30 feet
- Maximum depth: 75 feet
- Volume: 648,000 acre-feet
- Completion year: 1938
- Population: 42,000
- Catchment area: 178,392 sq.miles
