ROADHAVEN FEATURED ARTICLE
ROOSEVELT DAM AND LAKE
Completed in 1911 by the Bureau of Reclamation the Roosevelt dam once stood 280 feet high, 723 feet long at the crest. Today, the dam is 357 feet tall, holding back more than 1.6 million acre-feet of water at Roosevelt Lake, according to SRP. The Roosevelt Dam is a concrete gravity arch, located about 76 miles northeast of Phoenix and 30 miles northwest of Globe, Arizona. Serving mainly for irrigation, water supply, and flood control, the dam also has a hydroelectric generating capacity of 36 megawatts.Â
In 1888, Billy Breakenridge became surveyor for Maricopa County. He surveyed the Salt River for potential dam sites and in July 1889, he traveled with James McClintock, William J. Murphy, and John R. Norton to choose the best location. After a week on horseback, they reached Box Canyon, near the confluence of Tonto Creek and the Salt River. They recommended the location as the best site for a dam (Wikipedia).Â
a man-made reservoir named Lake Roosevelt that inundated homes, farms, and businesses and disrupted the lives of many.
Early people established camps and homes along the river, followed in more recent times by others who also built houses and communities along the banks of the wide, flowing river. By 1941, however, the federal government had dammed the river at the north end of Grand Coulee, creating a man-made reservoir named Lake Roosevelt that inundated homes, farms, and businesses and disrupted the lives of many. The primary purpose of the project was to provide water storage for the Salt River Project and flood control through the Salt River Valley.
Today, Roosevelt Lake offers year-round access via a paved road where visitors can hike or walk towards a beautiful body of water set in the desert. There is a migratory waterfowl (including Canada geese) and raptors (including bald eagles and osprey) that use the lake during the fall and winter. Small isolated islands and coves offer outstanding opportunities for camping and relaxing in the unique Sonoran Desert. Both Non-Motorized and Motorized boats are allowed at Roosevelt for maximum enjoyment of the water.
