Arizona's Fake Lakes

Thanks to a complex set of water laws, Arizona residents can count on full "fake lakes" even during a drought.

1 minute read

March 31, 2002, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Fake lakes, development fads that took off in the 1970s and '80s, dot the urban landscape, and many use SRP water... But most new lakes must be filled either with treated sewage or groundwater credits given to developers by cities under water laws passed during the 1980s.Exactly how many are out there and how much water they use are uncertain because the Arizona Department of Water Resources keeps no records about artificial lakes due to a lack of staff for the work."

Thanks to Tom Collins

Sunday, March 31, 2002 in The Arizona Republic

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