Bartlett Lake water level
▲ 41 points from 40.8% a year ago
Source: waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-09509502, accessed October 1, 2026. Updated every 6 hours.
Bartlett Lake is at 81.5% of full pool as of September 28, 2026. Bartlett Lake was last full on June 16, 2023 (95.3% of normal storage). Bartlett Lake is near Carefree, Arizona. It has restrooms, picnic area, boat launch, and marina, managed by U.S. Forest Service, Tonto National Forest (Cave Creek Ranger District). Check current swimming advisories at Bartlett Lake / Jojoba Boating Site current information (Tonto National Forest) before you go.
Bartlett Lake level history
This site counts a reservoir as full on a day its storage is at or above 95% of the dam's normal storage (National Inventory of Dams). Many reservoirs rarely reach 100%, even in wet years, because operators release water for irrigation, power or flood control before they fill, so this site treats 95% as full. Highs and lows are daily readings in the published data, not official records. Source: USGS daily data.
Storage, % of full pool, since 1974
Bartlett Lake is rising: 80.8% full, up 1.1 percentage points since September 20, 2026.
On this same date last year (September 28, 2025), Bartlett Lake was 40.8% full, 40 percentage points lower than today's 80.8%.
Weekly averages of the source's daily readings; older years may be monthly or sparser where that is all the source published. Download the charted data (JSON).
Bartlett Lake map
Bartlett Lake is at 33.8181, -111.6318. Open in OpenStreetMap.
The dam
- Water supply
Sources: nid.sec.usace.army.mil, accessed September 29, 2026
Visiting Bartlett Lake (Tonto National Forest)
- Restrooms
- Picnic area
- Boat launch
- Marina
Dispersed shoreline camping at Bartlett Flat, SB Cove, Jojoba, and similar areas - no designated developed campgrounds or hookups. 14-day stay limit. Glass containers prohibited. Check SRP watershed for lake levels before planning boat access.
Good to know:
- Jojoba Boating Site has a multi-lane paved boat launch about 20 miles east of Carefree; when water is low the ramp may drop to two lanes and the floating dock may close.
- Bartlett Flat offers beach-style shoreline camping and a primitive small-boat launch when levels allow.
- Tonto Daily Pass and watercraft sticker available at Forest offices, retail vendors, or on-site fee machines (debit/credit).
Swimming
Water-quality and swimming advisories change without notice. Always check Bartlett Lake / Jojoba Boating Site current information (Tonto National Forest) before you go.
Sources: fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto/recreation/jojoba-boating-site, accessed September 28, 2026
On the water
No campgrounds, boat ramps, or swim spots linked to Bartlett Lake yet.
Common questions
- Bartlett Lake is at 81.5% of full pool as of September 28, 2026.
- Bartlett Lake was last full on June 16, 2023, when it held 95.3% of its normal storage. This site counts a reservoir as full on a day its storage is at or above 95% of the dam's normal storage (National Inventory of Dams). Many reservoirs rarely reach 100%, even in wet years, because operators release water for irrigation, power or flood control before they fill, so this site treats 95% as full. Based on USGS daily data since October 1, 1974.
- In USGS daily data since October 1, 1974, Bartlett Lake's highest storage was 100.3% of normal storage on March 25, 1978. Its lowest after it first filled (March 2, 1978) was 5.8% of normal storage on March 28, 1990. These are the highest and lowest daily readings in the published data, not official records.
- Bartlett Lake is near Carefree, Arizona (33.8181, -111.6318).
- Bureau of Reclamation operates the dam at Bartlett Lake.
- Bartlett Lake's dam is used for Water supply.
- Year-round day-use and shoreline recreation. Quiet hours 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. at shoreline camping areas. Fees: Day use (per vehicle, vendor or Forest office) $8, Day use (per vehicle, on-site fee machine) $12, Annual Tonto Discovery Pass $80, Annual Tonto Discovery Pass (senior & access) $60, Tonto watercraft sticker (motorized) $4.
- Cave Creek Ranger Station, Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed noon-1 p.m.); closed weekends and federal holidays.
- Bartlett Lake has no designated swim area on record. Check current advisories at Bartlett Lake / Jojoba Boating Site current information (Tonto National Forest) before you go.