Roosevelt Lake water levels drop to 43% capacity after record low runoff

Arizona water supply: Roosevelt Lake hits 43% capacity after record-low runoff

Roosevelt Lake is at 43% capacity after back-to-back seasons of record-low winter runoff. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen learns how officials with the Salt River Project say they are prepared to manage the dropping water levels.

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - Roosevelt Lake is off to one of its worst starts in years, with its capacity down to just 43% as of May 27.

What we know:

Record-low runoff from back-to-back seasons has caused the current low water levels. However, Salt River Project (SRP) officials say they are built to handle this situation.

Local perspective:

Denny Blauser has been coming to Roosevelt Lake since he was a kid.

"I come here for the fishing and grandkids," Blauser said.

He knows firsthand just how low the lake is right now.

"Me being a fisherman, all my spots are dry, so I have to relearn it. I find the fishing to be much worse," Blauser said.

By the numbers:

Roosevelt Lake, the Salt River's largest reservoir, sits at 43% capacity.

"When it comes to water supply we’re always looking at what Roosevelt is doing," SRP hydrologist Jacob Richardson said.

Richardson said 2025 had the lowest winter runoff on record, and this year brought only 30%. But these things can change fast.

Timeline:

In 2023, the same spot was underwater as the lake overflowed capacity. Now, it is dry, and the water line is dozens of feet below.

"Where that TV is up there that was underwater 5 years ago, that road was under water. You couldn’t camp there. It was underwater," Blauser said.

Dig deeper:

Another strain on the system is looming. This fall, Canyon Lake is set to be substantially lowered for routine maintenance on the dam. Roosevelt Lake will need to fill it back up in the winter, but it will only take a small amount of water to do it.

"We have a lot of contingency in place in case it doesn’t go exactly according to plan. We want to make sure that’s in place, so we keep doing our job and supplying water," Richardson said.

This is the second-lowest elevation to start the summer since 2004, when it dropped to just 10%.

"By 2005, it was filled and spilling so again that highlights there’s a lot of variability in it," Richardson said.

What's next:

A lot of people are excited about El Niño, but SRP officials say you cannot count on anything, though they are hoping for some rainfall.