Lakeside Lake
Pima County, ArizonaView mapDirections
ADEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lakeside Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Noxious aquatic plants
- Public access
- Limited data
Lakeside Lake in Pima County, Arizona has water-quality measurements published by ADEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70 µg/L.
Lakeside Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pima County, Arizona. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Pima County, Lakeside Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2026-04-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lakeside Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Lakeside Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lakeside Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lakeside Lake
These are the measurements ADEQ publishes for Lakeside Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 70 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 70µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lakeside Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Lakeside Park (Tucson)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lakeside Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lakeside Lake in Pima County, Arizona — 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 Lakeside Lake
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Fishing Lakeside Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring (2012–2022).
Phosphorus
Improving-5.72 µg/L/yr8 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lakeside Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AZL15050302-0760_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pima County
Frequently asked questions about Lakeside Lake
Where is Lakeside Lake?
- Lakeside Lake is a lake in Pima County, Arizona. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lakeside Lake?
- Lakeside Lake in Pima County, Arizona has water-quality measurements published by ADEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70 µg/L.
Is Lakeside Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lakeside Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lakeside Lake?
- Lakeside Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lakeside Park (Tucson). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lakeside Lake?
- Lakeside Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Arizona's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lakeside Lake across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 12.2 mi, nearest Agua Caliente
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Arizona's top lakes, each with its readings
Arizona's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Saguaro?
Lakeside Lake is about 4 miles from Saguaro National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Saguaro →More lakes in Arizona
Other Lakes in Arizona
Eutrophic Lakes in Arizona
Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Great Lakes Environmental Center
GLEC14 samples · 2022–2026
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 300.0 ~ EPA; Determination of Inorganic Anions by Ion Chromatography
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory