Crawford Reservoir
Delta County, Colorado406 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #3 of 4 in the county
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Crawford Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 406 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~18 ft est.
- Area
- 406 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Crawford Reservoir’s letter
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Crawford Reservoir is a 406-acre mesotrophic lake in Delta County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 18 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Delta County, Crawford Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Crawford Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.1 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 51.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
→ Crawford Reservoir water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~18 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 406 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Crawford Reservoir.
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
- Crawford State ParkPublic
- Crawford State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Crawford Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Crawford Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Crawford Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for irrigation on the Iron Creek; earth-type dam, 162 ft tall and 580 ft long.
- Surface area
- 406 ac
- Normal storage
- 14,395 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 23,970 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 74.34 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00556 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Delta County
Nearby Lakes in Delta County
Frequently asked questions about Crawford Reservoir
Where is Crawford Reservoir?
- Crawford Reservoir is a lake in Delta County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Crawford Reservoir?
- Crawford Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 406 acres.
Is Crawford Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Crawford Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Crawford Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 18 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 406 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Crawford Reservoir?
- Crawford Reservoir has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crawford State Park, Crawford State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crawford Reservoir across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Black Canyon Of The Gunnison?
Crawford Reservoir is about 10 miles from Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park. 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 Black Canyon Of The Gunnison →More Colorado Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Colorado
Mesotrophic Lakes in Colorado
Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX18 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory