Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
Dawson County, Nebraska182 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.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 68 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Gallagher Canyon Reservoir in Dawson County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.6 µg/L. Surface area: 182 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~68 ft est.
- Area
- 182 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 35.6 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gallagher Canyon Reservoir in Dawson County, Nebraska — 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 Gallagher Canyon 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 Gallagher Canyon Reservoir → · more Nebraska lake trips
Watch Gallagher Canyon Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Gallagher Canyon 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 Gallagher Canyon 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 NDEE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is a 182-acre lake in Dawson County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 68 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2013-08-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 35.6 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 35.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~68 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 182 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Gallagher Canyon 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
- Gallagher Canyon State Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gallagher (completed 1941), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Supply Canal; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 644 ft long.
- Surface area
- 182 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,303 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE01028 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-MP2-L0570 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
Gallagher Canyon Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Dawson County
Frequently asked questions about Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
Where is Gallagher Canyon Reservoir?
- Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is a lake in Dawson County, Nebraska. 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 Gallagher Canyon Reservoir?
- Gallagher Canyon Reservoir in Dawson County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.6 µg/L. Surface area: 182 acres.
Is Gallagher Canyon Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Gallagher Canyon Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Gallagher Canyon Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Gallagher Canyon Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 68 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 182 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Gallagher Canyon Reservoir?
- Gallagher Canyon Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Gallagher Canyon Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Nebraska
Eutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX8 samples · 2013
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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