Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
Gunnison County, ColoradoView 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.
- 123 ft max depth
- Limited data
Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek in Gunnison County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 14.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~123 ft est.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek’s letter
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Why Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek 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 Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek, 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 CDPHE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek is a lake in Gunnison County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 123 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.1 ft of visibility
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft. Chlorophyll-a 8.4 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~123 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~100 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek.
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 Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
- Stevens Creek Campground1.3 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 Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +3.097 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.76 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.06 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Graded lakes near Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Gunnison County
Frequently asked questions about Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek
Where is Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek?
- Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek is a lake in Gunnison 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 Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek?
- Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek in Gunnison County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.4 µg/L.
Is Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 123 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there campgrounds on Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek?
- Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Stevens Creek Campground. 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 Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Curecanti?
Blue Mesa Reservoir W of Steuben Creek is about 14 miles from Curecanti National Recreation Area. 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 Curecanti →More Colorado Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Colorado Water Science Center
USGS-CO4 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles