Lower Bowns Reservoir
Garfield County, UtahView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #6 of 10 in the county
- 24 ft max depth
Lower Bowns Reservoir in Garfield County, Utah has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 9.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 34 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Lower Bowns Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Bowns Reservoir in Garfield 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lower Bowns Reservoir are listed below.
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Lower Bowns Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Garfield County, Utah with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Garfield County, Lower Bowns Reservoir ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lower Bowns Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lower Bowns Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.2 ft. Phosphorus 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9 µg/L. TSI 51. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~15 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Utah has not published bathymetry for Lower Bowns Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Lower Bowns Reservoir
- Lower Bowns Campground0.7 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
Fishing Lower Bowns Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 10 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.067 m/yr | 10 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.58 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lower Bowns Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bowns (Lower) (completed 1960), built primarily for irrigation on the Pleasant & Oak Creeks; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 511 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 3,475 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,372 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- UTAH SANDY RANCH
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT00187 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.22 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lower Bowns Reservoir 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 UT-L-14070003-044_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 10 lakes in Garfield County
Nearby Lakes in Garfield County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Bowns Reservoir
Where is Lower Bowns Reservoir?
- Lower Bowns Reservoir is a lake in Garfield County, Utah. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lower Bowns Reservoir?
- Lower Bowns Reservoir in Garfield County, Utah has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9 µg/L.
Is Lower Bowns Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lower Bowns Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lower Bowns Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lower Bowns Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there campgrounds on Lower Bowns Reservoir?
- Lower Bowns Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lower Bowns Campground. 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.
Explore Lower Bowns Reservoir across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 21 mi, nearest Upper Calf Creek Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Utah's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Utah's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Capitol Reef?
Lower Bowns Reservoir is about 12 miles from Capitol Reef 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 Capitol Reef →More Utah Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Utah
Eutrophic Lakes in Utah
Where this data comes from
150 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX150 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles