Palisade Lake
Sanpete County, UtahView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Temperature
- #4 of 11 in the county
- Limited data
Palisade Lake in Sanpete County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.1 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 14.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Palisade Lake’s letter
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Palisade Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Sanpete County, Utah. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 10 other monitored lakes in Sanpete County, Palisade Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2020-08-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Palisade Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.1 ft. Phosphorus 14.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.6 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Fishing Palisade Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.094 m/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Palisade Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Palisades Lake (completed 1899), built primarily for irrigation on the Sixmile Creek - Offstream; earth-type dam, 24 ft tall and 1,250 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 780 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,050 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MANTI IRRIGATION & RESERVOIR CO., ET AL
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT00119 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.28 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Palisade Lake 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-16030004-005_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 11 lakes in Sanpete County
Nearby Lakes in Sanpete County
Frequently asked questions about Palisade Lake
Where is Palisade Lake?
- Palisade Lake is a lake in Sanpete County, Utah. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Palisade Lake?
- Palisade Lake in Sanpete County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Is Palisade Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Palisade Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Palisade Lake across LakeQuality
3 thermal springs within 17.5 mi, nearest Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Utah's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX11 samples · 2020
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