Joes Valley Reservoir
Emery County, UtahView mapDirections
Utah DWQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Joes Valley Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Joes Valley Reservoir in Emery County, Utah has water-quality measurements published by Utah DWQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L.
Joes Valley Reservoir is a mesotrophic lake in Emery County, Utah. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Emery County, Joes Valley Reservoir ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2025-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Joes Valley Reservoir on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Joes Valley Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.2 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Joes Valley Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Utah Division of Water Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Joes Valley Reservoir
These are the measurements Utah DWQ publishes for Joes Valley Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus 6.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.5 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 6.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 38 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Joes Valley Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Joes Valley Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Joes Valley Reservoir in Emery County, Utah — 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 Joes Valley Reservoir
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 Joes Valley Reservoir → · more Utah lake trips
Follow Joes Valley Reservoir’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Joes Valley Reservoir
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2019–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.17 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Joes Valley Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Joes Valley (completed 1966), built primarily for irrigation on the Seely Creek; earth-type dam, 192 ft tall and 750 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 61,538 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 74,237 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 144 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Emery Water Conservancy District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT10124 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Emery County
Frequently asked questions about Joes Valley Reservoir
Where is Joes Valley Reservoir?
- Joes Valley Reservoir is a lake in Emery County, Utah. Its water-quality measurements are published by Utah DWQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Joes Valley Reservoir?
- Joes Valley Reservoir in Emery County, Utah has water-quality measurements published by Utah DWQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L.
Is Joes Valley Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Joes Valley Reservoir?
- Public access to Joes Valley Reservoir is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Utah's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Joes Valley Reservoir across LakeQuality
More lakes in Utah
Other Lakes in Utah
Mesotrophic Lakes in Utah
Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX20 samples · 2019–2025
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.