NEED TO KNOW
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Arizona’s San Carlos Lake is closed indefinitely after a major fish kill wiped out nearly all its fish population
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Officials attribute the fish kill to drought conditions and dam water releases that may lead to public health and safety concerns
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The closure impacts one of Arizona’s largest lakes, a popular recreation spot with over 150 miles of shoreline
A massive number of fish deaths, or fish kills, in San Carlos Lake in Arizona have forced officials to close the popular recreation destination indefinitely amid growing public health and safety concerns tied to ongoing drought.
In a public notice shared on Facebook on Friday, June 5, the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department announced that San Carlos Lake would remain closed “until further notice” after what officials described as a “significant fish kill event” affecting nearly the entire fish population within the lake.
A boat on San Carlos Lake, south of Peridot, Arizona, on April 22, 2026. San Carlos Lake is at 7% of normal
Credit: Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
According to the department, the recent drought, combined with water releases from the dam, led to a “major fish kill affecting approximately 100% of the fish population within the lake.” Officials warned that decomposing fish could create potential health hazards for visitors entering the area or attempting to fish. As a result, fishing, harvesting or possessing fish from the lake and all recreational fishing-related activities have been prohibited.
“We ask all visitors to respect the closure and avoid the affected area for their safety,” the department wrote in the notice, adding that conditions will continue to be monitored as officials assess the situation.
The closure impacts one of Arizona’s largest lakes. Located on the San Carlos Apache Tribal Lands, about 160 miles east of Phoenix, San Carlos Lake features more than 150 miles of shoreline.
Coolidge Dam and San Carlos Lake, south of Peridot, Arizona, on April 22, 2026. San Carlos Lake is at 7% of normal
Credit: Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The incident follows months of worsening drought conditions in the region. According to reporting from USA Today and Arizona Central, wildlife officials had previously warned that critically low water levels could lead to a large-scale fish die-off.
In an April 3 Facebook post, the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department announced that the lake had dropped to just 1.93% capacity and was continuing to decline rapidly.
“At the current rate, we are seeing an approximate 0.5% decrease every 10 days,” officials wrote at the time, warning that boat launches could soon become unusable and noting the “potential for a fish kill before the end of the month.”
According to experts, fish kills can occur during periods of extreme drought when shrinking water levels, rising temperatures and lower oxygen concentrations create conditions that many species cannot survive. Large die-offs can also create environmental and public health concerns, as fish begin to decompose in shallow waters and along shorelines.
Read the original article on People
