Prospect Lake
El Paso County, Colorado51 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
- Limited data
Prospect Lake in El Paso County, Colorado has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 230 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 80.5 µg/L. Surface area: 51 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Area
- 51 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
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Stays near Prospect Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Prospect Lake in El Paso County, Colorado — 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 Prospect Lake are listed below.
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Prospect Lake is a 51-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in El Paso County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in El Paso County, Prospect Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2020-09-17. 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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 230 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 80.5 µg/L. TSI 75. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 230 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 80.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 51 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 Prospect Lake.
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.
Fishing Prospect Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Prospect Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Prospect Lake (completed 1954), built primarily for recreation on the Fountain Creek-Os; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 690 ft long.
- Surface area
- 51 ac
- Normal storage
- 512 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 615 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS PARKS AND RECREATION
All listed purposes: Recreation;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO01142 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in El Paso County
Nearby Lakes in El Paso County
Frequently asked questions about Prospect Lake
Where is Prospect Lake?
- Prospect Lake is a lake in El Paso County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Prospect Lake?
- Prospect Lake in El Paso County, Colorado has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 230 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 80.5 µg/L. Surface area: 51 acres.
Is Prospect Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Prospect Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Prospect Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 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 51 acres.
Explore Prospect Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Colorado's top lakes, each with its grade
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX12 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)