The Havasu News-Herald, which serves Lake Havasu City along the Colorado River, assured its readers today that the environmental pulse flow, which is passing through on its way from Hoover Dam to the Colorado River delta, shouldn’t have an impact on Lake Havasu recreational boating:
Lake Havasu will remain at normal water levels during the next six and a half weeks as the Minute 3:19 Pulse Flow brings water to the once-parched Colorado River Delta in Mexico, according to Bureau of Reclamation Water Resources Specialist Aaron Marshall.
Marshall said normal water levels at Lake Havasu approximately range between 445 feet and 449 feet above sea level. As of Thursday, the lake’s water level was at about 447.5 feet, which is about a foot less than a week ago.
“Fluctuations of a few feet are normal for our operations in Lake Havasu,” Marshall said. “The pulse flow will not have any effect on the lake’s elevation changes.”
The moral of the story is the river is different things to different ‘end users’. In the case of Lake Havasu City, the lake is a revenue source in the form of recreation to residents and visitors. They like to see the lake full. A low lake means exposed reefs and more importantly, a low channel under the London Bridge. That is the concerns of one stake holder. The lake has three primary stake holders. Public, MWD & CAP.
MWD & CAP has the same concerns with lake elevation. However, they look at the energy concerns of pumping the water into their systems from the lake. Lower lake elevations – more power needed to pump the same volume of water.
As the spokesman from BoR said, “The pulsed flow shouldn’t have much effect on the lake’s level.” I’m sure that this is a true statement.
dg