Arizona Game And Fish Department

Bartlett Lake in Rio Verde, Arizona.

Salt River Project has been releasing water from its Verde reservoir system, which is at capacity. The Verde system includes Horseshoe Lake and Bartlett Lake and is one of two reservoir systems operated by SRP.

Reed Blochberger, a hydrologist for SRP, said it’s normal for the reservoirs to reach capacity during wet winters.

“We’re releasing about 5,200 cubic feet per second out of the reservoirs. Now not all of that is making it to the Valley. I think the Valley, we’re flowing about 4,000 CFS through it. We do expect that to continue to go down a little bit, then pick up a little with snow melt.”

Despite SRP’s water releases, recreation conditions should remain normal on the affected lakes, including Tempe Town Lake.