Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
Missoula County, MontanaView mapDirections
Montana DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Limited data
Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep in Missoula County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 21.6 ft visibility.
Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Missoula County, Montana. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 39 other monitored lakes in Missoula County, Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Montana DEQ, last sampled 2021-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water21.6 ft of visibility
- Camping4 public campgrounds nearby
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 Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep is safe to swim in today is a call for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
These are the measurements Montana DEQ publishes for Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 21.6 ft down. TSI 33.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 21.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 33 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
- Lake Alva Campground Complex1.0 km
- Lake Alva Cg Complex1.0 km
- Lake Alva Campground1.0 kmReserve
- Lakeside Cg (old Alva)2.1 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
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Top-rated places to stay near Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
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Fishing Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 12 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Water clarity
Stable8 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.11 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Missoula County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep
Where is Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep?
- Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep is a lake in Missoula County, Montana. Its water-quality measurements are published by Montana DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep?
- Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep in Missoula County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 21.6 ft visibility.
Is Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep?
- Lake Alva Mid-Lake Deep has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Alva Campground Complex, Lake Alva Cg Complex, Lake Alva Campground, Lakeside Cg (old Alva). 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.
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Where this data comes from
66 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Montana Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
MTVOLWQM_WQX66 samples · 2012–2021
Analytical methods
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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.
Other records on this page
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles