Crystal Reservoir
Laramie County, Wyoming136 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #1 of 8 in the county
- 12 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Crystal Reservoir in Laramie County, Wyoming has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 136 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Area
- 136 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Crystal Reservoir’s letter
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Crystal Reservoir is a 136-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Laramie County, Wyoming with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Laramie County, Crystal Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wyoming DEQ, last sampled 2022-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Crystal Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.6 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.6 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 40. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 136 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Wyoming has not published bathymetry for Crystal 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
- Crystal ReservoirPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Crystal Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.157 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Crystal Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Crystal Lake (completed 1922), built primarily for water supply on the Middle Crow Creek; concrete-type dam, 108 ft tall and 170 ft long.
- Surface area
- 136 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,075 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 39.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF CHEYENNE-BOPU
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WY00002 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 8 lakes in Laramie County
Nearby Lakes in Laramie County
Frequently asked questions about Crystal Reservoir
Where is Crystal Reservoir?
- Crystal Reservoir is a lake in Laramie County, Wyoming. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Crystal Reservoir?
- Crystal Reservoir in Laramie County, Wyoming has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 136 acres.
Is Crystal Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Crystal Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Crystal Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 12 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 136 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Crystal Reservoir?
- Crystal Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crystal Reservoir. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crystal Reservoir across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wyoming's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Other Grade B Lakes in Wyoming
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wyoming
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2015–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Watershed Program
WYDEQ_WATERSHED12 samples · 2015–2022
Analytical methods
- Secchi
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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