Overview
Lake Havasu is an approximately 19,800-acre reservoir on the Colorado River along the Arizona–California border, formed by Parker Dam and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Completed in the late 1930s, the lake stores water for the Colorado River Aqueduct and Central Arizona Project intakes, generates power at Parker Dam, and supports one of the Southwest's busiest desert recreation corridors around Lake Havasu City.
The reservoir backs water roughly 45 miles upstream, averaging about 35 feet deep and reaching near 90 feet, with a highly irregular desert shoreline commonly cited near 450 miles. Mojave and Sonoran desert shores, rocky coves, and open river channel create a distinctive warmwater fishery and boating environment.
Havasu is famous for powerboating, houseboating, camping, and fishing for striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and other species managed cooperatively by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. BLM shoreline camps, marinas, and city waterfronts provide extensive public access on both sides of the river.
Water levels are held in a narrow operating band for power and aqueduct pumping, with a normal maximum near 450 feet on the Parker / USGS 1912 project datum, active storage commonly between about 440 and 450 feet, and top of dam near 455 feet. Even small elevation changes matter for desert beaches and boat-in camps, so monitoring current lake levels is useful year-round.
Current Conditions
Lake Havasu is currently 1.95 feet above full pool and has been rising over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 1.28 ft
- 30-day changeUp 0.95 ft
- Drought conditionsModerate Drought
- Active advisories1 active (Advisory)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Lake Havasu is a 19,800-acre reservoir on the Colorado River managed by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.