Gunnison Bend Reservoir
Millard County, UtahView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Limited data
Gunnison Bend Reservoir in Millard County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30.1 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Gunnison Bend Reservoir’s letter
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Gunnison Bend Reservoir is a mesotrophic lake in Millard County, Utah with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Millard County, Gunnison Bend Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2020-08-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 30.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.2 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30.1 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~4 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Utah has not published bathymetry for Gunnison Bend 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.
Fishing Gunnison Bend Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.02 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gunnison Bend Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gunnison Bend (completed 1895), built primarily for irrigation on the Sevier River; earth-type dam, 19 ft tall and 1,600 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 5,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,950 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7,300 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- DESERET & ABRAHAM IRRIGATION COMPANY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT00131 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Millard County
Nearby Lakes in Millard County
Frequently asked questions about Gunnison Bend Reservoir
Where is Gunnison Bend Reservoir?
- Gunnison Bend Reservoir is a lake in Millard County, Utah. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Gunnison Bend Reservoir?
- Gunnison Bend Reservoir in Millard County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L.
Is Gunnison Bend Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Gunnison Bend Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Gunnison Bend Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Gunnison Bend Reservoir across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 21 mi, nearest Baker (Abraham, Crater) Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Utah's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
38 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2014–2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX38 samples · 2014–2020
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)