El Vado Reservoir
Rio Arriba County, New Mexico3,380 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.
- Public access
- Limited data
El Vado Reservoir in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.9 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3380 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.9 ft
- Area
- 3,380 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near El Vado Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near El Vado Reservoir in Rio Arriba 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 El Vado Reservoir
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at El Vado Reservoir → · more New Mexico lake trips
Watch El Vado Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why El Vado Reservoir 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 El Vado Reservoir, 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.
El Vado Reservoir is a 3,380-acre lake in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2014-10-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What El Vado Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water3,380 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for El Vado Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.9 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 3,380 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for El Vado Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- El Vado Lake State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing El Vado Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.065 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
El Vado Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the El Vado Dam (completed 1935), built primarily for irrigation on the Rio Chama River; other-type dam, 230 ft tall and 1,326 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,380 ac
- Normal storage
- 196,250 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 209,330 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 794.06 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM10008 · Operator website
Graded lakes near El Vado Reservoir
El Vado Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Rio Arriba County
Frequently asked questions about El Vado Reservoir
Where is El Vado Reservoir?
- El Vado Reservoir is a lake in Rio Arriba 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 El Vado Reservoir?
- El Vado Reservoir in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.9 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3380 acres.
Is El Vado Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on El Vado Reservoir?
- El Vado Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include El Vado Lake State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore El Vado Reservoir across LakeQuality
More New Mexico Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in New Mexico
Eutrophic Lakes in New Mexico
Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX13 samples · 2012–2014
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory