Elkhead Reservoir
Moffat County, Colorado724 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Elkhead Reservoir in Moffat County, Colorado has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 724 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Area
- 724 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Elkhead Reservoir’s letter
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Elkhead Reservoir is a 724-acre mesotrophic lake in Moffat County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Elkhead 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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Elkhead Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~34 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 724 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 Elkhead 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
- Elkhead Reservoir State ParkPublic
- Elkhead Reservoir State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Elkhead Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Elkhead Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Elkhead Creek (completed 1979), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Elkhead Creek; earth-type dam, 118 ft tall and 1,300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 724 ac
- Normal storage
- 24,778 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 37,190 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 212 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COLORADO RIVER WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT (CAUSEY
All listed purposes: Fish and Wildlife Pond;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00976 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.22 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Elkhead Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit COUCYA23_A · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Moffat County
Nearby Lakes in Moffat County
Frequently asked questions about Elkhead Reservoir
Where is Elkhead Reservoir?
- Elkhead Reservoir is a lake in Moffat County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Elkhead Reservoir?
- Elkhead Reservoir in Moffat County, Colorado has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Surface area: 724 acres.
Is Elkhead Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Elkhead Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Elkhead Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Elkhead Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 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 724 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Elkhead Reservoir?
- Elkhead Reservoir has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elkhead Reservoir State Park, Elkhead Reservoir State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elkhead Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX6 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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