Big Creek Reservoir
Mesa County, Colorado63 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
Big Creek Reservoir in Mesa County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Surface area: 63 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.4 ft
- Area
- 63 acres
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Creek Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Creek Reservoir in Mesa County, Colorado — 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 Big Creek Reservoir
Prices for Sep 4–6, 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 Colorado’s top lakes →
Watch Big Creek Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Big Creek Reservoir 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 Big Creek Reservoir, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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 CDPHE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Big Creek Reservoir is a 63-acre lake in Mesa County, Colorado.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-07-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Big Creek Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.7 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.7 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 63 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Big Creek Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Big Creek Reservoir
- Big Creek0.4 km
- Weir And Johnson4.9 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 Big Creek Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Big Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Big Creek #1 (completed 1893), built primarily for irrigation on the Big Creek; earth-type dam, 23 ft tall and 514 ft long.
- Surface area
- 63 ac
- Normal storage
- 764 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 22 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 11 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BIG CREEK RESERVOIR COMPANY (YOUNG - PRESIDENT, HA
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00935 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Big Creek Reservoir
Big Creek Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Mesa County
Frequently asked questions about Big Creek Reservoir
Where is Big Creek Reservoir?
- Big Creek Reservoir is a lake in Mesa County, Colorado. 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 Big Creek Reservoir?
- Big Creek Reservoir in Mesa County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Surface area: 63 acres.
Is Big Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Big Creek Reservoir?
- Big Creek Reservoir has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Big Creek, Weir And Johnson. 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 Big Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Black Canyon Of The Gunnison?
Big Creek Reservoir is about 36 miles from Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Black Canyon Of The Gunnison →More Colorado Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Colorado
Eutrophic Lakes in Colorado
Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX6 samples · 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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles