Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet
Rio Arriba County, New MexicoView mapDirections
NMED publishes the water-quality measurements for Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L.
Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is a mesotrophic lake in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Rio Arriba County, Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2024-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is safe to swim in today is a call for the New Mexico Environment Department and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet
These are the measurements NMED publishes for Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.4 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet water level: the live USGS gauge reading
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Fishing Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2012–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NM-2114_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Rio Arriba County
Frequently asked questions about Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet
Where is Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet?
- Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is a lake in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Its water-quality measurements are published by NMED and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet?
- Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L.
Is Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet?
- Public access to Abiquiu Reservoir Chama R Inlet is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by New Mexico's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX14 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database