Burns Lake Deep
Rio Arriba County, New Mexico11 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Limited data
Burns Lake Deep in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.5 µg/L. Surface area: 11 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Area
- 11 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 23.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Burns Lake Deep’s letter
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Why Burns Lake 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 Burns Lake Deep, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. 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.
Burns Lake Deep is a 11-acre lake in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2014-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Burns Lake Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Burns Lake Deep
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 23.5 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 23.5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Burns Lake Deep, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Burns Lake Deep
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.05 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Burns Lake Deep is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Laguna Del Campo Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for recreation on the Rio Brazos-Os; earth-type dam, 36 ft tall and 500 ft long.
- Surface area
- 11 ac
- Normal storage
- 100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 178 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.75 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH
All listed purposes: Recreation;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00313 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.09 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Burns Lake 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-9000.B_025 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.11 km)
Graded lakes near Burns Lake Deep
Burns Lake Deep has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Rio Arriba County
Frequently asked questions about Burns Lake Deep
Where is Burns Lake Deep?
- Burns Lake Deep is a lake in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Burns Lake Deep?
- Burns Lake Deep in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.5 µg/L. Surface area: 11 acres.
Is Burns Lake Deep safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Burns Lake Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX8 samples · 2012–2014
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