Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep
Grant County, New Mexico35 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.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep in Grant County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.1 µg/L. Surface area: 35 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Area
- 35 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 19.1 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep’s letter
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Why Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep 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 Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
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.
Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is a 35-acre lake in Grant County, New Mexico. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2019-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 19.1 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.1 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bear Canyon Dam (completed 1937), built primarily for irrigation on the Bear Canyon Creek; earth-type dam, 99 ft tall and 270 ft long.
- Surface area
- 35 ac
- Normal storage
- 685 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,483 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 16 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00374 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.08 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NM-2504_30 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
Graded lakes near Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep
Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grant County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep
Where is Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep?
- Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is a lake in Grant 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 Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep?
- Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep in Grant County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.1 µg/L. Surface area: 35 acres.
Is Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Bear Canyon Reservoir Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX4 samples · 2019
Analytical methods
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database