Around the ValleyFriday, November 13
Tempe Town Lake stays closed to boating and fishing after record river flows
The Good Day Chandler team
If you had a paddle, an oar or a fishing rod in mind, Tempe Town Lake isn't ready for you. Tempe closed the lake to on-water activities on Nov. 1 as SRP released reservoir water after storms, and the city has since flagged E. coli that also put fishing off limits.
Record flows pushed through the lake
- About 54,000
- cubic feet per second released from two dams
- About 8 times
- greater than average: recent Salt and Verde inflows
- 1993
- the year of the last Salt and Verde flood this big
Sources: Signals AZ, AZ Family
SRP says the flood is the biggest on the Salt and Verde rivers since 1993. SRP also increased releases from Bartlett and Stewart Mountain dams. Dr. Rick Amalfi of Aquatic Consulting said: "It will take time for that water to pass and the bacteria level to reduce below the event threshold."
- Closed: boating, fishing and boat rentals, until further notice
- Still open: walking and biking along the shore
- Stay out: people and dogs shouldn't go in the water
- Questions: Tempe 311, 480-350-4311
The lake has been closed since Nov. 1
- Nov. 1Tempe closes the lake to on-water activities.
- Nov. 2Water from SRP's increased releases is due in the Valley by 6 p.m.
- Nov. 6A Tempe news release says E. coli now restricts fishing.
- Nov. 15The Collegiate National Triathlon Championships will be a duathlon.
Sources: Signals AZ, KTAR News 92.3 FM, Giants Wire, AZ Family
The Collegiate National Triathlon Championships on Sunday will go ahead as a duathlon. Havasu News reports the switch was costly for ASU as Arizona completed an NCAA Women's Triathlon threepeat.
Sources: Signals AZ, Giants Wire, AZ Family, KTAR News 92.3 FM, Havasu News