Tempe Town Lake, Recreational reservoir in Tempe, United States

Tempe Town Lake is an artificial reservoir on the Salt River in Tempe, Arizona, held between inflatable rubber dams. It is nearly two miles (3.2 km) long, with an average surface area of 224 acres and an average depth of 16 feet. A concrete abutment with a small square structure stands at one end, and a black fabric-covered barrier crosses the water; from its right half, water spills in a white sheet over a spillway. Below, a diagonal row of light-grey wedge-shaped concrete blocks stretches across the water.

Planning began in the late 1970s and took two decades before water was first impounded in 1999. The two inflatable dams were chosen as a solution to create a permanent body of water in a river that otherwise flows only seasonally.

The name comes from the city of Tempe, itself named after the Greek valley of Tempe. Local residents use the waterfront paths for jogging and cycling, while families gather for picnics along the shore on warm evenings.

The shoreline paths are paved and accessible for walkers, cyclists, and wheelchair users. Kayaks and paddleboards can be rented from several outlets along the north side of the lake.

The lake's water is not self-replenishing: losses of about 1.7 million US gallons per day from evaporation are made up by purchasing additional Central Arizona Project water, exchanging reclaimed water, and using long-term storage credits. A recapture system collects seepage and pumps it back into the lake, so seepage losses are nearly nil. The lake was first filled with one billion US gallons bought from the CAP.