Goldwater Lake
Yavapai County, Arizona23 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Public access
- Limited data
Goldwater Lake in Yavapai County, Arizona is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 23 acres.
- Area
- 23 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Goldwater Lake’s letter
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Why Goldwater Lake 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 Goldwater Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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 ADEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Goldwater Lake is a 23-acre lake in Yavapai County, Arizona. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2022-04-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Goldwater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping4 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Goldwater Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 23 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Goldwater Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Goldwater LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Goldwater Lake
- White Spar Campground2.6 km
- Groom Creek Horse Camp3.8 km
- Upper Wolf Creek Group Campground4.8 km
- Lower Wolf Creek Campground4.9 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Goldwater Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Goldwater Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Upper Goldwater (completed 1932), built primarily for recreation on the Bannon Creek; buttress-type dam, 76 ft tall and 383 ft long.
- Surface area
- 23 ac
- Normal storage
- 525 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF PRESCOTT
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AZ00153 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.05 km)
Graded lakes near Goldwater Lake
Goldwater Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Yavapai County
Frequently asked questions about Goldwater Lake
Where is Goldwater Lake?
- Goldwater Lake is a lake in Yavapai County, Arizona. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Goldwater Lake?
- Goldwater Lake in Yavapai County, Arizona is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 23 acres.
Is Goldwater Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Goldwater Lake?
- Goldwater Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Goldwater Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Goldwater Lake?
- Goldwater Lake has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including White Spar Campground, Groom Creek Horse Camp, Upper Wolf Creek Group Campground, Lower Wolf Creek Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Goldwater Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Great Lakes Environmental Center
GLEC5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles