Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu
View of the lake from Parker Dam
Location of Lake Havasu in California, USA.
Location of Lake Havasu in California, USA.
Lake Havasu
Location of Lake Havasu in California, USA.
Location of Lake Havasu in California, USA.
Lake Havasu
LocationArizona, California
Coordinates34°29′N 114°23′W / 34.483°N 114.383°W / 34.483; -114.383
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsColorado River
Primary outflowsColorado River
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. length26.3 miles (42.3 km)
Max. width2.85 miles (4.59 km)
Surface area19,300 acres (7,800 ha)
Average depth35 ft (11 m)
Max. depth90 ft (27 m)
Surface elevation448 ft (137 m)
Islands1
SettlementsLake Havasu City, Arizona

Lake Havasu (/ˈhɑːvəs/) is a large reservoir formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River, on the border between San Bernardino County, California, and Mohave County, Arizona. Lake Havasu City sits on the Arizonan side of the lake with its Californian counterpart of Havasu Lake directly across the lake. The reservoir has an available capacity of 619,400 acre-feet (0.7640 km3). The concrete arch dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938. The lake's primary purpose is to store water for pumping into two aqueducts. Prior to the dam construction, the area was home to the Mojave people. The lake was named (in 1939) after the Mojave word for blue.[1] In the early 19th century, it was frequented by beaver trappers.[citation needed] Spaniards also began to mine the areas along the river.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Gudde, Erwin G. (1959). 1000 California Place Names (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 33. ISBN 0-520-01432-4.