Rose Canyon Lake

Rose Canyon Lake (2134 m, 7000 ft)

Lake information

• Originally created in 1957 when Rose Canyon was dammed by AZ Game and Fish
• Covers 7 acres
• Deepest point is 31 feet
• Closed to vehicle access in the winter months
• U.S. Forest Service has prohibited swimming and boating on the lake since 1985 in order to not disrupt fishing, the lake’s primary use (special permits for non-motorized watercraft are issued to youth service organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, for safety training and exercises)
• A 19 year old man drowned in the lake in August of 2012 when he and a friend attempted to swim across the lake. The friend made it.
• AZ Game and Fish regularly stocks the lake with rainbow trout in April-June and August-September (the water gets too hot in July for these cold water fish)

Invasive species—crayfish

• Crayfish capture and data collection protocol: http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/crayfish.shtml
• Information below is from The Trouble with Crayfish (lesson plan, grade 4): http://www.azgfd.gov/i_e/ee/lessons/crayfish/crayfish_complete.pdf
• Crayfish, also called crawdads, are not native to Arizona. They were introduced to Arizona’s waterways in the 1940s as live bait. Since then, crayfish have become a problem to Arizona’s natural habitats and native species. They are a particular problem for the riparian areas, where they have been released both accidentally and intentionally.
• Crayfish are omnivorous, feeding on aquatic plants and animals, including lily pads, iris, insects, snails, tadpoles, frogs, baby turtles, fish eggs, fish, garter snakes, and even other crayfish.
• In Arizona, crayfish reduce the quality of the water by removing (eating) aquatic plants that filter and oxygenate it. With the plants gone, the soil is no longer held in place. When the crayfish feed and burrow, they stir up the gravel, rocks, and soil, which increase the silt in the water. Crayfish may also out- compete other species in their use of available food and shelter.
• It is against the law to release any organism (plant or animal) into Arizona waters without permission from the state. In addition, it is illegal to transport live crayfish throughout most of Arizona. You can legally harvest unlimited numbers of crayfish with a valid Arizona fishing license. (See actual rules and regulations at Arizona Game and Fish’s website: azgfd.gov.)