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Alamo Lake State Park facts for kids

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Alamo Lake State Park
Alamo Lake and Artillery Peak.jpg
Alamo Lake and Artillery Peak
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Location La Paz, Arizona, United States
Area 4,900 acres (20 km2)
Elevation 1,102 ft (336 m)
Established 1969 (1969)
Administered by Arizona State Parks
Logo Alamo Lake State Park logo.svg
Alamo Lake
Alamo Lake is located in Arizona
Alamo Lake
Alamo Lake
Location in Arizona
Location La Paz / Mohave counties, Arizona
Coordinates 34°13′56″N 113°36′10″W / 34.23222°N 113.60278°W / 34.23222; -113.60278
Type reservoir
Primary inflows Bill Williams River
Primary outflows Bill Williams River, evaporation
Basin countries United States
Surface area 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) (when full)
Max. depth 80 ft (24 m)
Surface elevation 1,237 ft (377 m)

Alamo Lake State Park is a cool place in Arizona, USA. It's a state park built around Alamo Lake. This lake helps control floods and is also a fun spot for people to visit. The park is in western Arizona. It's about 38 miles (61 km) north of a town called Wenden.

You can get there by a paved road from U.S. Route 60 or U.S. Route 93. Because it's a bit far from cities, many people call it one of Arizona's "best kept secrets."

Alamo Lake State Park has places for camping. It's also great for people who love to see wildlife. You might spot many animals here, including the amazing bald eagle. Since it's far from city lights, it's a perfect place for stargazing.

About Alamo Lake

Alamo Lake is a reservoir, which is a man-made lake. It was created by the Alamo Dam. This dam is part of Alamo Lake State Park. The park is managed by Arizona State Parks.

How the Lake Was Formed

The lake collects water from the Bill Williams River. This river sometimes dries up. But when it rains a lot, the river fills up. The water then flows into Alamo Lake. The Army Corps of Engineers built the dam in 1968. They built it mainly to stop floods. The dam is made of earth and is 283 feet (86 m) tall.

Lake Levels and Fun

Even though the Bill Williams River can be dry, heavy rains keep the lake full. During big floods, the lake can fill up very fast. It has even risen 11 feet (3.4 m) in just one night!

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a lot of rain. This made the lake bigger and deeper than expected. This was great news because it opened up new ways to have fun! People could now go boating and fishing.

Fishing at Alamo Lake

Since then, many different kinds of fish have been put into the lake. You can find fish like largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and tilapia. Alamo Lake is a popular spot for fishing tournaments. It has even been the place where an Arizona state fishing record was set!

Getting to the Park

You can reach Alamo Lake State Park by a paved road. Take the Wenden turn-off from Highway 60. Then, head north on Alamo Lake Road.

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