Painted Rock Lake
 

Last summer I visited Painted Rock lake to take a look. The lower lake was
totally bone dry. A couple weeks ago after all the rain in the central
Arizona area there was beginning to build up some water behind the dam.
They started dumping water down the river. It should be good for the lower
Colorado River as increased flows will move some things around and wash out
some of the excess weed growth.

Most of you guys probably don't know anything about Painted Rock. Basically
its named for some old indian writings on a nearby rock pile. The dam can
form a huge upper lake to retain and control flood waters. Below the dam is
a large pit where earth was removed to build the dam. When they were
finished it resulted in a good size lake below the dam. For many many years
they maintained a small flow out of the dam to keep the lower lake up.
Sometime in the last decade of there wasn't enough water to do this. The
lower lake is what most people were refferring to when talking about Painted
Rock Lake. There is a semi improved campground along the south shore. I
visited the lake last summer and it was bone dry. The campground was
closed.

I am excited. I hope the lower lake comes back to life. Its the first
place I ever heard of flipping, but they didn't call it flipping. Basically
a couple guys where throwing back into the brush on the north and west sides
of the lake using 72 pound braided nylon line. I hope they reopen the
campground. I can get into the lake from the back side, but the only place
you can launch a trailer boat is in the campground.

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