Platoro Reservoir
Conejos County, Colorado1,000 acresView mapDirections
Colorado WQCD publishes the water-quality measurements for Platoro Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- 103 ft max depth
- Limited data
Ask about Platoro Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Platoro Reservoir in Conejos County, Colorado has water-quality measurements published by Colorado WQCD, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 97.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Surface area: 1000 acres.
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Platoro Reservoir is a 1,000-acre lake in Conejos County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 103 feet.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-06-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Platoro Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water1,000 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Platoro Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Platoro Reservoir
These are the measurements Colorado WQCD publishes for Platoro Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 97.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.8 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Metric | Value | EPA condition class |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 97.5 µg/L | Measured, not scored |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.8 µg/L | Measured, not scored |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~103 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~70 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,000 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Platoro 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 Platoro Reservoir
- Stunner4.1 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 Platoro Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Platoro Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Platoro Dike (completed 1951), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Conejos River; rockfill-type dam, 85 ft tall and 590 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,000 ac
- Normal storage
- 53,506 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 67,790 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 40 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO01671 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Conejos County
Frequently asked questions about Platoro Reservoir
Where is Platoro Reservoir?
- Platoro Reservoir is a lake in Conejos County, Colorado. Its water-quality measurements are published by Colorado WQCD and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Platoro Reservoir?
- Platoro Reservoir in Conejos County, Colorado has water-quality measurements published by Colorado WQCD, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 97.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Surface area: 1000 acres.
Is Platoro Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Platoro Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Platoro Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 103 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1000 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Platoro Reservoir?
- Platoro Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Stunner. 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.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX5 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles