Birch Creek Reservoir
Rich County, UtahView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #8 of 8 in the county
- 14 ft max depth
- Limited data
Birch Creek Reservoir in Rich County, Utah has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~14 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 41 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.3 µg/L
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Stays near Birch Creek Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch Creek Reservoir in Rich County, Utah — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Birch Creek Reservoir are listed below.
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Birch Creek Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rich County, Utah with an estimated average depth of about 14 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Rich County, Birch Creek Reservoir ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2021-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Birch Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.4 ft. Phosphorus 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.3 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 41 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~14 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Utah has not published bathymetry for Birch 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.
Fishing Birch Creek Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Birch Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Birch Creek No. 2 (completed 1951), built primarily for irrigation on the Birch Creek; earth-type dam, 101 ft tall and 474 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 2,256 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,736 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 17 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WOODRUFF RESERVOIR & IRRIGATION COMPANY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT00041 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.23 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Birch Creek Reservoir 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 UT-L-16010101-002_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 8 lakes in Rich County
Nearby Lakes in Rich County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Creek Reservoir
Where is Birch Creek Reservoir?
- Birch Creek Reservoir is a lake in Rich County, Utah. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Birch Creek Reservoir?
- Birch Creek Reservoir in Rich County, Utah has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L.
Is Birch Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Birch Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Birch Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Birch Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 14 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Birch Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Utah Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Utah
Eutrophic Lakes in Utah
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX12 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)