Where is Lake of Chapala?

Lake of Chapala is a lake in Mexico. This page reports official water-quality measurements, shown as reported.

Is Lake of Chapala safe to swim in?

Lake of Chapala has official nutrient and clarity measurements, not a bacteria swim class and not a safety clearance. Algal blooms, currents, and depth are not covered. Always check local notices before swimming.

Lake of Chapala

MexicoView map Directions

CONAGUA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake of Chapala. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

0.5 m

Typical for Mexico

Secchi · sampled 2021

Phosphorus

482.4 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by CONAGUA

Chlorophyll-a

2.3 µg/L

Less algae than most

Measured by CONAGUA

Limited data

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake of Chapala in Mexico has official water-quality measurements, shown as reported. Water clarity: 0.5 m visibility. Phosphorus: 482.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.

Loading map…

How Lake of Chapala is classified

Lake of Chapala in Mexico is published with the authority's own measurements and class. The measurements here are published by the agency that samples the lake, as reported. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

LakeQuality publishes no grade of its own beside it. Everything below thathas been measured is reported on this page.

Monitoring: the National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA), via UNEP GEMS/Water.

Lake of Chapala is a lake in Unknown County, Mexico.

Source: the National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA), via UNEP GEMS/Water — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 2021-10-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

No reading

Limited data

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lake of Chapala is safe to swim in today is a call for the National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA), via UNEP GEMS/Water and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Get alerts for Lake of Chapala →

Water quality measurements for Lake of Chapala

These are the measurements CONAGUA publishes for Lake of Chapala. More on the source.

Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 482.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 68.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	0.47m	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	482µg/L	Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential.
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	2.3µg/L	Measured, not scored 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.	68	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Lake of Chapala

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake of Chapala

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of Chapala in Mexico — 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 Lake of Chapala

Prices for Oct 2–4, 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.

Follow Lake of Chapala’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

Or email

Fishing Lake of Chapala

→ Lake of Chapala fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Frequently asked questions about Lake of Chapala

Where is Lake of Chapala?: Lake of Chapala is a lake in Mexico. This page reports official water-quality measurements, shown as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake of Chapala?: Lake of Chapala in Mexico has official water-quality measurements, shown as reported. Water clarity: 0.5 m visibility. Phosphorus: 482.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
Is Lake of Chapala safe to swim in?: Lake of Chapala has official nutrient and clarity measurements, not a bacteria swim class and not a safety clearance. Algal blooms, currents, and depth are not covered. Always check local notices before swimming.

Explore Lake of Chapala across LakeQuality

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

More lakes in Mexico

Lakes in Mexico

Official water quality for lakes in Mexico

Lake water quality by country

EU bathing ratings and named-lake measurements

Where this data comes from

25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from UNEP GEMS/Water GFQA (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.

Collected and reported by

Comisión Nacional del Aguacomisionnacionaldelagua25 samples · —

Analytical methods

GEMStat OPEN / CC BY 4.0

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

MEX03132

Authority classifications are shown as the authority published them. See where the data comes from and data sources.