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Chuck & John mug for the camera. [photo by John]
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From a total of seven kayakers, we’re now down to two, as John and I ready our
kayaks for launching from the SB Cove area of Bartlett Lake. And it’s only by
sheer accident that we found one another at all in the sprawling SB Cove complex,
crowded with hundreds of tents, campers, and every variety and model of RV in
existence. Yanis and Vanessa are also joining us this morning, but after cruising up
and down this huge congested beach area and searching for them for 15 minutes or
more, we finally give up. I would later learn from talking to Yanis that they were also
searching for us.
This entire process brings to mind an old Keystone Kops routine (how many remember
those zany characters?), with four people in two vehicles fruitlessly cruising the
sprawling cove, crammed with countless campers and RVs, looking for one another and
likely passing within watermelon seed spitting distance time and again without ever
finding each another. If our vehicles had been marked and someone had been shooting
from above with a camera drone, it might very well have made a hilarious video clip
worthy of those zany Keystone Kops.
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Kayaks are prepped and ready for launch. [photo by John]
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John kicks back in his new 12 foot kayak. [photo by Chuck]
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Chuck takes a breather on the lake, with the Yellow Cliffs in the background.
[photo by John]
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John loves his new kayak. [photo by Chuck]
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RVs, campers, and tents line the beach. [photo by John]
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Completed in 1939 by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and funded primarily by the
Salt River Project, Bartlett Dam was the first dam built on the Verde River, creating
Bartlett Lake.
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The distinctive Yellow Cliffs overlooking Bartlett Lake. [photo by John]
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The lake is pretty calm today. [photo by John]
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This is certainly a popular lake for the RV crowd. [photo by John]
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John is approaching ramming speed! [photo by John]
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We decide to pull in here for a lunch break. [photo by John]
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Where John is standing, the lake surface was once over ten feet above his head.
[photo by Chuck]
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Named after Bill Bartlett, chief government surveyor on the project, the primary
purpose of the dam is to provide irrigation and drinking water for the growing metro
Phoenix area. In 1994 the dam was raised an additional 21.5 feet in height to provide
more storage capacity for both flood control and increased water supply.
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With Arizona and much of the Southwest in the grips of a severe and prolonged
drought since 2000, some scientists and climatologists are saying that it could
possibly last 50 years or longer, based on numerous tree ring studies throughout
the region.
That added height to Bartlett Dam is now proving to be much more valuable for
increased water supply rather than flood control. But Bartlett Lake is far from alone
in dramatically decreased water levels. Lake Powell, currently down 131 feet, is at
42% of capacity. Lake Mead, currently down 143 feet, is at 40% of capacity.
The nation’s two largest reservoirs, Powell and Mead together, provide critical
storage capacity for Colorado River water and its 40 million users across the parched
Southwest.
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This entire area right up to the ridgeline was once under water. [photo by John]
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This area right behind our lunch spot was also once completely submerged.
[photo by John]
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Approaching the launch area. [photo by John]
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Chuck is almost back at the beach. [photo by John]
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The time is about 11:15 when we decide to stop in a shallow cove area for a rest
and lunch break. As we look around, John and I both agree that Bartlett Lake is
currently down somewhere between 20 and 25 feet from full capacity.
From here we see a snowy egret flying across the cove, while earlier we saw a bald
eagle riding the thermals over the lake. After about 20 minutes we pack up and make
our way back across the lake to SB Cove. The power boat and jet ski traffic has
increased dramatically since earlier in the day when we started out from the cove.
This is the primary reason we do these kayaking day trips in the middle of
the week, rather than on the much busier weekends.
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