Lake Van
Chaves County, New MexicoView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Temperature
- Limited data
Lake Van in Chaves County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.9 µg/L
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Watch Lake Van’s letter
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Why Lake Van has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Van, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NMED and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Van is a lake in Chaves County, New Mexico.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2022-04-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Van is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Van
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 12.9 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.9 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Fishing Lake Van
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Van is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NM-9000.B_071 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Chaves County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Van
Where is Lake Van?
- Lake Van is a lake in Chaves County, New Mexico. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Lake Van?
- Lake Van in Chaves County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.9 µg/L.
Is Lake Van safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Van is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Van across LakeQuality
More New Mexico Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in New Mexico
Eutrophic Lakes in New Mexico
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX12 samples · 2013–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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