Bartlett Dam

About Bartlett Dam

The primary purpose of Bartlett Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Verde River near Mesa.

The dam stands 309 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,519 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 249,693 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5,828 square miles. Completed in 1939, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/04/2020.

At 309 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Arizona dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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