Canyon Lake
Maricopa County, Arizona950 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 54 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Canyon Lake in Maricopa County, Arizona has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Surface area: 950 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~54 ft est.
- Area
- 950 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 51.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Canyon Lake is a 950-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Maricopa County, Arizona with an estimated average depth of about 54 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Maricopa County, Canyon Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2026-04-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Canyon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Canyon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Phosphorus 51.5 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 51.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~54 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 950 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Arizona has not published bathymetry for Canyon Lake.
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
- Canyon Lake - 3Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Canyon Lake
- The Point3.0 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 Canyon Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Canyon Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Mormon Flat Dam (completed 1926), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Salt River; concrete-type dam, 224 ft tall and 380 ft long.
- Surface area
- 950 ac
- Normal storage
- 57,852 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 57,852 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6,072.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AZ10313 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Canyon Lake 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 AZL15060106A-0250_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Maricopa County
Nearby Lakes in Maricopa County
Frequently asked questions about Canyon Lake
Where is Canyon Lake?
- Canyon Lake is a lake in Maricopa County, Arizona. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Canyon Lake?
- Canyon Lake in Maricopa County, Arizona has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Surface area: 950 acres.
Is Canyon Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Canyon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Canyon Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Canyon Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 54 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 950 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Canyon Lake?
- Canyon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Canyon Lake - 3. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Canyon Lake?
- Canyon Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including The Point. 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 Canyon Lake across LakeQuality
17.9 mi away · recorded at 118°F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Arizona's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade C Lakes in Arizona
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Great Lakes Environmental Center
GLEC10 samples · 2022–2026 - AZDEQ_SW
AZDEQ_SW3 samples · 2025–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 300.0 ~ EPA; Determination of Inorganic Anions by Ion Chromatography
- SM 4500 PF
- SM 4500-P-F
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles