Conchas Reservoir
San Miguel County, New Mexico2,694 acresView mapDirections
NMED publishes the water-quality measurements for Conchas Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Conchas Reservoir in San Miguel County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 2694 acres.
Conchas Reservoir is a 2,694-acre mesotrophic lake in San Miguel County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in San Miguel County, Conchas Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2016-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Conchas Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water2,694 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Conchas Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the New Mexico Environment Department and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Conchas Reservoir
These are the measurements NMED publishes for Conchas Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Conchas Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Conchas Reservoir water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Surface area
2,694 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by NMED
No bathymetric survey has been published for Conchas Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Conchas Lake State Park - Southside Recreation AreaPublic
- Conchas Lake State Park - NorthPublic
- Cove CampgroundPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Conchas Reservoir
- South Area Campground1.5 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Conchas Reservoir
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Top-rated places to stay near Conchas Reservoir
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Fishing Conchas Reservoir
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2015–2016). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Conchas Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Conchas Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Canadian River/Conchas River; gravity-type dam, 235 ft tall and 19,500 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,694 ac
- Normal storage
- 61,532 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 709,119 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7,409 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Albuquerque District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00006 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in San Miguel County
Frequently asked questions about Conchas Reservoir
Where is Conchas Reservoir?
- Conchas Reservoir is a lake in San Miguel County, New Mexico. Its water-quality measurements are published by NMED and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Conchas Reservoir?
- Conchas Reservoir in San Miguel County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 2694 acres.
Is Conchas Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Conchas Reservoir?
- Conchas Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Conchas Lake State Park - Southside Recreation Area, Conchas Lake State Park - North, Cove Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Conchas Reservoir?
- Conchas Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by New Mexico's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Conchas Reservoir?
- Conchas Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including South Area 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 Conchas Reservoir across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New Mexico's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2014–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX14 samples · 2014–2016
Analytical methods
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles