The arizona game and fish department commission owns and operates 36 dams across arizona 23 of which create important water bodies for recreational boating

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 awarded the Arizona Game and Fish Department $880,000 under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) on February 1, 2026.

The award funds a comprehensive safety assessment and management review of 36 dams operated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department across Arizona, 23 of which support recreational boating. The dams average 80 years in age and were constructed or acquired primarily for recreational and boating activities. The department will prioritize evaluation based on risk to nearby communities, with in-depth review of high-hazard structures including Cluff Ranch Pond 3, which has a known safety deficiency. The assessment will guide the department's dam portfolio management and reduce public risk while sustaining recreational boating opportunities.

Performance extends through December 31, 2028, with all work conducted in Arizona. The Sport Fish Restoration program funds state fish management and restoration activities, including boat access to public waters, through revenues from excise taxes on motorboat fuel, certain electric motors, and fishing equipment, as well as import duties on fishing tackle and yachts.

These dams have an average age of 80 years. Most of these dams were constructed or acquired for recreational and boating activities. To ensure their continued safety performance and to continue to provide recreational boating opportunities the department has initiated a comprehensive review of these structures to assess their integrity and address any identified deficiencies. Given the significant cost of such remediation the project will prioritize dams based on the level of risk they pose to nearby communities ensuring that limited resources are directed toward the most critical needs. Within this risk based framework one of the dams to be evaluated is cluff ranch pond 3 a high hazard structure with a known safety deficiency. Because of the potential hazard IT poses to the nearby community this DAM will undergo a more in depth review as part of the project. The results of this effort will provide the department with the guidance needed to more effectively manage its DAM portfolio and reduce public risk.