Lake Havasu, Reservoir on Colorado River between California and Arizona, United States

Lake Havasu is a reservoir on the Colorado River, formed by Parker Dam at the border between California and Arizona. It is 72 kilometers long and covers 67 square kilometers, with an irregular shoreline of pale tan and brown rock and a long, narrow channel winding from the main body. The surface is smooth and dark, without islands.

Parker Dam was built between 1934 and 1938 to store water for two large aqueducts. The construction permanently changed the river flow and created an artificial body of water in the desert landscape.

The name Havasu originates from the Mojave language word meaning blue, reflecting the native people who lived in this region before the dam construction.

The Bureau of Land Management runs 73 campsites on the eastern shore, and Arizona State Parks operates Lake Havasu State Park and Cattail Cove State Park there. Havasu Springs Resort sits on the southern edge and Black Meadow Landing on the west bank, both BLM concessions. The lake is held between 445 and 450 feet elevation even in drought.

The reservoir serves as a water storage point for two major aqueducts that supply cities in southern California. The water travels hundreds of kilometers through underground tunnels and open channels.