Willow Lake Is Low for a Sewer Project That Hasn't Started Yet. Here's the Fall Plan for the Lakes Next Door.
If you've walked the Willow Lake shoreline from Prescott Lakes this year, you've probably wondered when the water is coming back. The City of Prescott's own documents give the short answer, and it's later than you might expect.
The lake was drawn down so crews could build the Willow Creek Gravity Sewer, a new line that replaces the aging force main along Willow Lake Road and upgrades the Prescott Lakes Regional Lift Station. In September 2026, the City's project sheet said the plans had been reviewed and final details were still being completed. It expected bidding to start in fall 2026, with construction to follow. So the lake is low, and the project it was lowered for hasn't broken ground. That one fact shapes this whole season at the reservoir closest to the neighborhood.
In its April 15, 2026 update, the City said construction was "anticipated to begin in summer 2026" and that Willow Lake "will continue to remain low throughout construction." The same release explained one reason for the delay. Archaeologists working with the Arizona State Museum and the Hopi Tribal Historic Preservation Office found cultural features, a large number of artifacts and human remains. Documenting all of it took longer than planned. The City says that work is done and that it coordinated with the Hopi Tribe on the respectful return of the remains.
By September, the City's forecast had moved from a summer start to bidding in the fall. The project sheet names Lyon Engineering as the design consultant. It doesn't name a construction contractor or give a completion date. The last refill estimate came in an August 2025 update on the City's water quality dashboard, which said the lake was "expected to naturally refill in 2027." That estimate came before the construction start slipped. The City has also said the lake stays low through construction, so 2027 is the most recent published target, not a firm schedule.
The sewer isn't the only cause. A Daily Courier photo taken on Feb. 20, 2026 shows the lake unusually low and credits two things, the new sewer line along Willow Lake Road and "months of unfavorable precipitation."
The City posts lake data on the ParticipatePrescott Water Quality Dashboard. Willow Lake's most recent sample, taken on 9/17/2026, shows the lake 16.5 feet below full. It also records an algal bloom and calls the water "exceptionally low." In the dashboard's advisories as of September 9, 2026, Willow Lake is red with a "Caution Advised" warning. The warning describes an extensive harmful algal bloom and advises against direct contact with scummy green water.
The City's June 2026 summary explains the connection. When the pool of water got very small, algae grew faster and pH rose. The City advised against water-based recreation and said the boat launch was closed. We couldn't find a later notice saying the launch had reopened. Check the dashboard before you take a kayak down to the Willow Lake shore.
That leaves the land around the lake, and this fall the land is busy. Willow Lake is the tenth route on the Highlands Center for Natural History's 2026 Hiking Spree. Hike, or attempt, eight of the ten routes by December 7 to enter a raffle for a $300 gift card from The Hike Shack. There's no kickoff event this year. You submit your hikes online or at the Benson Family Nature Store.
A rare nesting pair is also part of the story. On September 24, Prescott Audubon Society reported a pair of Northern Harriers trying to nest near Willow Lake, with signs now posted around the area. Local naturalist Walt Anderson wrote:
"These are ground nesters, very vulnerable to disturbance, and people have been getting way too close--by accident or design. If the bird flies directly toward you, you need to go away, as it is extremely upset. No photo is worth causing these birds to have nest failure."
Anderson adds that Arizona has very few harrier nesting records. The closest recent attempt, at Dugas, failed because of human disturbance. If your usual loop passes the signs, the simplest way to help is to take a wider route.
Watson Lake is a few minutes farther from Prescott Lakes, and its numbers this fall look quite different from Willow's.
| As of September 2026 | Willow Lake | Watson Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Latest dashboard sample | 9/17/2026 | 9/23/2026 |
| Depth below full | 16.5 ft | 8.5 ft |
| Algal bloom in sample | Yes | No |
| Advisory status, Sept 9 rollup | Red, "Caution Advised" | Yellow, "Attention Advised" |
| Boating | Launch reported closed in June | Two boat launches, rentals available |
| Swimming | Prohibited | Prohibited |
On the dashboard, yellow means the water falls short of some standards for full body contact but meets the standards for partial contact like wading or boating. Watson's advisory still flags isolated algal blooms. It suggests avoiding coves or shorelines with concentrated green scum or stagnant, smelly water. Both September samples also note that recent rain temporarily raised turbidity and lowered visibility and dissolved oxygen.
Watson's better water is the result of steady work. The lake is on the EPA's impaired list for high pH, high nutrients and low dissolved oxygen, conditions that used to bring summer algae and weed blooms. The City installed four water circulators and did two phosphorus-binding treatments in 2025, and Watson had no harmful algae or aquatic weed blooms that summer. More phosphorus-binding and muck-reduction treatments were underway through summer 2026. The City is also contracting for a fish barrier design so it can stock grass carp, also called white amur, to eat the aquatic vegetation.
The City's Watson Lake page points to Born To Be Wild Adventures for kayak and canoe rentals. The company says it rents seven days a week, year-round. Its last moonlight rentals of 2026 at Watson Lake run October 22 through 25, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., weather permitting. Single kayaks and paddleboards cost $25, tandem kayaks and canoes $50, and a four-person pedal boat $75. The outings aren't guided, so the company recommends bringing a friend.
Both lakes keep summer hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. through October 31. Starting November 1, the gates open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. That change cuts four hours off the evening, and it lands right after the moonlight paddles end. Here are the fall dates in order:
Willow Lake has been managed under a 1998 plan that covers both Watson and Willow. The City is now writing a separate plan for Willow because, in its words, "the two reservoirs have different management needs." Watson's recent improvement shows that difference well. Willow is still waiting for its own approach.
The Courier reported that Jeremy Cordova, the City's environmental project manager, presented parts of the new plan to the City Council Subcommittee on Water Issues on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. The October 14 meeting is open to the public, and you can stop in any time between 4 and 6 p.m. The City is running it with Southwest Decision Resources and community stakeholder groups. Staff will be there to answer questions about the options under consideration in four areas: water quality and quantity, vegetation and habitat, recreation, and public outreach and education.
Before the meeting, Walt Anderson and butterfly enthusiast Becky Hardy will lead the guided walk of the south side of the Willow Lake property. Adults and children are welcome. You can walk the low shoreline with two naturalists in the afternoon, then tell the planners what you'd like the lake to become, all on the same Wednesday.
If you own a home in Prescott Lakes, what happens at Willow Lake is part of what makes your address what it is. Peter Fife follows these projects as closely as the market numbers, and he's glad to talk through either one. When you want to know what your home is worth today, ListingPrescott offers a free home valuation that takes local details like these into account.
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