Palisades Lake
Bonneville County, Idaho16,230 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #4 of 6 in the county
Palisades Lake in Bonneville County, Idaho has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 16230 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Area
- 16,230 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.1 µg/L
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Watch Palisades Lake’s letter
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Palisades Lake is a 16,230-acre mesotrophic lake in Bonneville County, Idaho. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Bonneville County, Palisades Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEQ, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Palisades Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water16,230 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Phosphorus 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.1 µg/L. TSI 42. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 16,230 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Palisades Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Pine BaySemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Palisades Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Palisades Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Palisades Dam (completed 1957), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the South Fork Snake River; earth-type dam, 270 ft tall and 2,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 16,230 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,401,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,417,810 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5,137.01 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ID00273 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 6 lakes in Bonneville County
Nearby Lakes in Bonneville County
Frequently asked questions about Palisades Lake
Where is Palisades Lake?
- Palisades Lake is a lake in Bonneville County, Idaho. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Palisades Lake?
- Palisades Lake in Bonneville County, Idaho has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 16230 acres.
Is Palisades Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Palisades Lake?
- Palisades Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pine Bay.
Explore Palisades Lake across LakeQuality
13.7 mi away · 60 ft
4 thermal springs within 20.2 mi, nearest Alpine Warm Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Idaho's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Idaho's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Idaho Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Idaho
Mesotrophic Lakes in Idaho
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2013–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Bureau of Reclamation
1119USBR_WQX30 samples · 2013–2024
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Zebra/Quagga Mussel APHA 10200G Modified
- Phosphorus by Single Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory