Jackson Reservoir
Morgan County, Colorado2,427 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 77 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Jackson Reservoir in Morgan County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.3 µg/L. Surface area: 2427 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~77 ft est.
- Area
- 2,427 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jackson Reservoir in Morgan County, Colorado — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Jackson Reservoir are listed below.
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Jackson Reservoir is a 2,427-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Morgan County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 77 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-11-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Jackson Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water2,427 acres
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Jackson Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 60.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 22.3 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 22.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~77 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,427 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 Jackson 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
- Jackson Lake State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Jackson Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.28 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +28 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +13.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Jackson Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Jackson Lake (completed 1900), built primarily for irrigation on the South Platte River-Tr; earth-type dam, 39 ft tall and 13,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,427 ac
- Normal storage
- 27,256 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 60,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- JACKSON LAKE RESERVOIR CO. (CYNTHIA LEFEVER)
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00016 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Jackson 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 COSPLS03_D · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Morgan County
Nearby Lakes in Morgan County
Frequently asked questions about Jackson Reservoir
Where is Jackson Reservoir?
- Jackson Reservoir is a lake in Morgan County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Jackson Reservoir?
- Jackson Reservoir in Morgan County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.3 µg/L. Surface area: 2427 acres.
Is Jackson Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Jackson Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Jackson Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Jackson Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 77 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 2427 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Jackson Reservoir?
- Jackson Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jackson Lake State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Jackson Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX18 samples · 2021–2023
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
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