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LakeQuality
Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water
NR

McKinley County Lake Quality

New Mexico, 35 lakes — no lake here has enough monitoring data for a grade

There are 35 monitored lakes in McKinley County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. No lake in McKinley County has enough sampling behind it for an A–F grade yet. The 35 monitored lakes below carry whatever clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a measurements exist.

Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow, under 50 feet, which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed.

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Where to stay near McKinley County

Top-rated places to stay near McKinley County

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Quick Answers for McKinley County

Cleanest lakes in McKinley County →Safest swimming lakes in New Mexico →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Ramah Reservoir Deep — or check the official New Mexico fishing regulations.

All Lakes in McKinley County

35 lakes · 0 graded, 35 not rated0 graded lakes · 35 not rated, hidden

#LakeGradeClarityPhosphorusAlgaeTrophicAccess
NRRamah Reservoir DeepMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRBlack Rock ReservoirMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRTekapo ReservoirMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRPescado ReservoirMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRTogeye LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRVanderwagen Reservoir Number OneMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRMariano LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRSmith LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRCasamero LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRTinaja LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRAmbrosia LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna HueroMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NROrphan Annie TankMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna CastilloMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRChuska LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRWhiskey LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRRed LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRSamson LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRFranciscan LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRPapers LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRTanner LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRCastillo LakeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna TechillasMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna LeonMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna ElefanteMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna PolvaderaMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRJohn Nelson TankMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna ChuteMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna GrandeMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna BlancaMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna BonitaMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLa Jolla AlfalfaMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRSeco TankMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna CañonerosMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLaguna CruzMcKinleyNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded

NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.

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Other Counties in New Mexico

San Miguel County

9 lakes · Avg grade A

Guadalupe County

6 lakes · Avg grade A

Rio Arriba County

24 lakes · Avg grade C

Sandoval County

11 lakes · Avg grade C

Otero County

7 lakes · Avg grade C

Lincoln County

6 lakes · Avg grade D

See how McKinley County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.