Beaver Creek Reservoir
Rio Grande County, Colorado130 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Beaver Creek Reservoir in Rio Grande County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L. Surface area: 130 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~19 ft est.
- Area
- 130 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Beaver Creek Reservoir is a 130-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rio Grande County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 19 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-07-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Beaver Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping4 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.4 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 36 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 130 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Beaver Creek Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Beaver Creek Reservoir
- Upper Beaver Creek1.5 km
- Cross Creek2.1 km
- Lower Beaver Creek2.6 km
- Highway Springs3.5 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Beaver Creek Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.35 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +24.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beaver Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beaver Park (completed 1912), built primarily for recreation on the Beaver Creek; rockfill-type dam, 114 ft tall and 435 ft long.
- Surface area
- 130 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,746 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,394 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 47 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (TAYLOR, MARGARET)
All listed purposes: Recreation;Other;Irrigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00763 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.15 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Rio Grande County
Nearby Lakes in Rio Grande County
Frequently asked questions about Beaver Creek Reservoir
Where is Beaver Creek Reservoir?
- Beaver Creek Reservoir is a lake in Rio Grande County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Beaver Creek Reservoir?
- Beaver Creek Reservoir in Rio Grande County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L. Surface area: 130 acres.
Is Beaver Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Beaver Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Beaver Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 19 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 130 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Beaver Creek Reservoir?
- Beaver Creek Reservoir has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Upper Beaver Creek, Cross Creek, Lower Beaver Creek, Highway Springs. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Beaver Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
4 thermal springs within 22.5 mi, nearest Wagon Wheel Gap Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX18 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles