Alto Lake Inlet
Lincoln County, New Mexico15 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Limited data
Alto Lake Inlet in Lincoln County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 15.4 acres.
- Area
- 15 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Alto Lake Inlet
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alto Lake Inlet in Lincoln County, New Mexico — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Alto Lake Inlet
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at New Mexico’s top lakes →
Watch Alto Lake Inlet’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Alto Lake Inlet has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Alto Lake Inlet, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NMED and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Alto Lake Inlet is a 15-acre lake in Lincoln County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2024-05-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Alto Lake Inlet
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Alto Lake Inlet, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Alto Lake Inlet
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.228 m/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Alto Lake Inlet is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Alto Lake Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for water supply on the Eagle Creek; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 362 ft long.
- Surface area
- 15.4 ac
- Normal storage
- 299.7 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 449 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 13 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00180 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
Graded lakes near Alto Lake Inlet
Alto Lake Inlet has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Alto Lake Inlet
Where is Alto Lake Inlet?
- Alto Lake Inlet is a lake in Lincoln County, New Mexico. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Alto Lake Inlet?
- Alto Lake Inlet in Lincoln County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 15.4 acres.
Is Alto Lake Inlet safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Alto Lake Inlet across LakeQuality
More New Mexico Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in New Mexico
Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX2 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.