Cabresto Lake Deep
Taos County, New Mexico29 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 · pH / acidity
- Limited data
Cabresto Lake Deep in Taos County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Surface area: 28.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Area
- 29 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 8.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cabresto Lake Deep
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cabresto Lake Deep in Taos County, New Mexico — 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 Cabresto Lake Deep
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 New Mexico’s top lakes →
Watch Cabresto Lake Deep’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Cabresto 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 Cabresto 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.
Cabresto Lake Deep is a 29-acre lake in Taos County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2018-07-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Cabresto Lake Deep is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.1 ft of visibility
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cabresto Lake Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Cabresto Lake Deep
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Chlorophyll-a 8.6 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 29 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Cabresto Lake Deep, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Cabresto Lake Deep
- Cabresto Lake<0.1 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 Cabresto Lake Deep
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.65 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cabresto Lake Deep is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cabresto Dam (completed 2012), built primarily for irrigation on the Lake Fork Creek; earth-type dam, 78 ft tall and 218 ft long.
- Surface area
- 28.9 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,118 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,442 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CABRESTO LAKE IRRIG.CO;LLANO COMMUNITY DITCH
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00240 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.14 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Cabresto 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-2120.B_20 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.15 km)
Graded lakes near Cabresto Lake Deep
Cabresto Lake Deep has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Taos County
Frequently asked questions about Cabresto Lake Deep
Where is Cabresto Lake Deep?
- Cabresto Lake Deep is a lake in Taos 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 Cabresto Lake Deep?
- Cabresto Lake Deep in Taos County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Surface area: 28.9 acres.
Is Cabresto Lake Deep safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cabresto Lake Deep is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Cabresto Lake Deep?
- Cabresto Lake Deep has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Cabresto Lake. 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 Cabresto Lake Deep across LakeQuality
More New Mexico Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in New Mexico
Mesotrophic Lakes in New Mexico
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX8 samples · 2017–2018
Analytical methods
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles