Highline Lake
Mesa County, Colorado155 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Highline Lake in Mesa County, Colorado has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Surface area: 155 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Max depth
- ~10 ft est.
- Area
- 155 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Highline Lake is a 155-acre mesotrophic lake in Mesa County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 10 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Mesa County, Highline Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2022-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Highline Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 30.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.9 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 155 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 Highline Lake.
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
- Highline Lake State ParkPublic
- Highline Lake State ParkPublic
- Highline Lake State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Highline Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Highline Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Upper Highline (completed 1967), built primarily for recreation on the Mack Wash-Tr; earth-type dam, 98 ft tall and 1,440 ft long.
- Surface area
- 155 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,125 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 13 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (TAYLOR, MARGARET)
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00831 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Mesa County
Nearby Lakes in Mesa County
Frequently asked questions about Highline Lake
Where is Highline Lake?
- Highline Lake is a lake in Mesa County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Highline Lake?
- Highline Lake in Mesa County, Colorado has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Surface area: 155 acres.
Is Highline Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Highline Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Highline Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 10 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 155 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Highline Lake?
- Highline Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Highline Lake State Park, Highline Lake State Park, Highline Lake State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Highline Lake across LakeQuality
9.9 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Colorado's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX20 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory