La Plata County, Colorado · Water Quality Report Card
Lower Sunlight Lake
Lower Sunlight Lake in La Plata County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 3.5 µg/L.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
Lower Sunlight Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in La Plata County, Colorado.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2020-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water Quality Grade: Not rated
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 3.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 22.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No data | |
| Phosphorus | 3.5 µg/L | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 22 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Lower Sunlight Lake
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Fishing Lower Sunlight Lake
Location
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Colorado Water Science Center
USGS-CO2 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2020-09-23
Monitoring stations: 1