SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A beloved community hub in Sahuarita may soon be going dry — literally. Town officials have confirmed that Sahuarita Lake, a popular spot for walking, fishing and relaxation, is suffering from a persistent, though minor, leak that could force a full-scale closure for up to a year.
The leak was first brought to attention in October 2023, when the lake’s water level dropped by nearly a foot in one week after they addressed a faulty fill valve.
Subsequent sonar heat-mapping revealed water pooling beneath the lakebed, indicating a failure in the lake’s lining system and cracks in the lake’s head walls — an issue the town thought had been addressed during partial repairs back in 2014 under different Parks leadership.
“They had replaced a couple of sections and drained the lake back then,” Pruitt said. “But I don’t think that took care of the whole issue.”
Pruitt says when the lake was initially constructed in the early 1990s, they designed a “unique” liner of clay mixed with native soil, along with a soil cement applied on top to keep the liner in place.
Now, town officials are preparing for a more aggressive and costly solution: draining the entire lake, relocating the fish and replacing the liner entirely.
“We’ve already had a leak once, so we want to make sure we don’t run into this issue again in the future,” Pruitt said. “We’re going to make sure it’s completed start-to-finish and that there’s no future hazards for anybody.”
Pruitt says the leak, or potential leaks, don’t immediately threaten the lake’s water levels and will be sustained while the town develops an effective plan. “It is not a catastrophic leak at this time, it’s a slow, minor leak,” he said. “We just want to keep it from getting to that catastrophic state.”
The project, still in the early planning stages, will not begin construction until fiscal year 2027 or 2028. The design and engineering phase is slated to begin in July 2026, when the town will learn the extent of the issue and an estimated cost for construction.
During the design phase, officials will also decide how the lake will be emptied and where the water will be stored or diverted.
“It’s going to be a lift to get there, even for the community,” Pruitt acknowledged. “But in the end, I think it’ll be an improved facility.”
Despite the disruption, town leaders see the project as an opportunity. Alongside fixing the leak, the town may explore deepening the lake and upgrading park features, including aging exercise equipment, to enhance the overall experience for residents and visitors once the park reopens.
“We want to use this time wisely,” said Pruitt. “If we’re shutting down the park for a year, we might as well make broader improvements.”
He also says they may consider increasing the lake’s depth to bring new fishing opportunities to the community.
For now, the lake remains open, but its future depends on what lies beneath the surface.
KGUN9 will keep you updated as the story develops.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
