List of dams and reservoirs in Arizona facts for kids

Imagine a giant wall built across a river! That's basically what a dam is. Dams are huge structures that hold back water, creating a big, man-made lake called a reservoir. In Arizona, dams and reservoirs are super important because they help us store water in a desert state. They provide drinking water, help farmers water their crops, generate electricity, control floods, and even offer fun places for boating and fishing!

A dam is considered a "major dam" if it's at least 50 feet (15 m) tall and can hold at least 5,000 acre-feet (6,200,000 m³) of water. Or, it can be any height if it holds 25,000 acre-feet (31,000,000 m³) of water.

Dams and Reservoirs in Arizona

Bartlett Dam

Mormon Flat Dam

Laguna Diversion Dam

Here's a list of some important dams and the reservoirs they create in Arizona:

• Alamo Dam: This dam creates Alamo Lake. It's managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which helps manage waterways and prevent floods.
• Ashfork-Bainbridge Steel Dam: This unique dam is made of steel and creates the Steel Dam Reservoir. It's owned by a private company.
• Bartlett Dam: This dam forms Bartlett Lake. It's managed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), an agency that helps manage water resources, especially for irrigation and power.
• Cave Buttes Dam: This dam creates the Cave Creek Reservoir. It's managed by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, which works to protect areas from floods.
• Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities: These facilities include a dam that forms Stehr Lake. They are privately owned and likely generate electricity.
• Coolidge Dam: This dam creates San Carlos Lake. It's managed by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency that works with Native American tribes.
• Davis Dam: This dam forms Lake Mohave on the Colorado River. It's managed by the USBR.
• Gillespie Dam: This dam creates an unnamed reservoir and is privately owned.
• Glen Canyon Dam: This very famous dam creates Lake Powell, one of the largest man-made lakes in North America. It's managed by the USBR.
• Granite Basin Dam: This dam forms Granite Basin Lake. It's managed by the United States Forest Service, which oversees national forests.
• Granite Reef Diversion Dam: This dam diverts water from the Salt River. It's managed by the USBR.
• Headgate Rock Dam: This dam creates an unnamed reservoir and is managed by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County.
• Hoover Dam: One of the most famous dams in the world, Hoover Dam creates Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States by capacity. It's managed by the USBR.
• Horse Mesa Dam: This dam forms Apache Lake. It's managed by the USBR.
• Horseshoe Dam: This dam creates Horseshoe Lake. It's managed by the USBR.
• Imperial Dam: This dam creates Imperial Reservoir. It's managed by the USBR.
• Laguna Diversion Dam: This dam diverts water from the Colorado River and is located near the California border. It's managed by the USBR.
• Lyman Dam: This dam creates Lyman Reservoir and is privately owned.
• Morelos Dam: This dam diverts water from the Colorado River and is located on the Mexican border. It's managed by the International Boundary and Water Commission, which handles water issues between the US and Mexico.
• Mormon Flat Dam: This dam forms Canyon Lake. It's managed by the USBR.
• New Cornelia Tailings Dam: This dam is part of the New Cornelia mine and is one of the largest dams in the US by volume. It's privately owned.
• New Waddell Dam: This dam creates Lake Pleasant. It's managed by the USBR.
• Painted Rock Dam: This dam creates the Painted Rock Reservoir. It's managed by the USACE.
• Palo Verde Dam: This is a diversion dam on the Colorado River. It's managed by the USBR.
• Parker Dam: This dam creates Lake Havasu. It's managed by the USBR.
• Stewart Mountain Dam: This dam forms Saguaro Lake. It's managed by the USBR.
• Theodore Roosevelt Dam: This historic dam creates Theodore Roosevelt Lake, a very important water source for Arizona. It's managed by the USBR.