Quail Creek Reservoir
Washington County, UtahView mapDirections
Utah DWQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Quail Creek Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Limited data
Quail Creek Reservoir in Washington County, Utah has water-quality measurements published by Utah DWQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
Quail Creek Reservoir is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Washington County, Utah. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Quail Creek Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2025-08-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Quail Creek Reservoir on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Quail Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.6 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Quail Creek Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Utah Division of Water Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Quail Creek Reservoir
These are the measurements Utah DWQ publishes for Quail Creek Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.6 ft. Phosphorus 6.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 0.9 µg/L. TSI 33.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 6.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 0.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 33 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Quail Creek Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Quail Creek Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Quail Creek Reservoir in Washington County, Utah — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Quail Creek Reservoir
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Utah’s top lakes →
Follow Quail Creek Reservoir’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Quail Creek Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Quail Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Quail Creek (completed 1984), built primarily for irrigation on the Quail Creek & Pipeline; earth-type dam, 209 ft tall and 895 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 40,325 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 45,050 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 78 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WASHINGTON COUNTY WATER CONSERVANCY DIST
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT00514 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Quail Creek Reservoir
Where is Quail Creek Reservoir?
- Quail Creek Reservoir is a lake in Washington County, Utah. Its water-quality measurements are published by Utah DWQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Quail Creek Reservoir?
- Quail Creek Reservoir in Washington County, Utah has water-quality measurements published by Utah DWQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
Is Quail Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Quail Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
4 thermal springs within 6.7 mi, nearest Berry Springs
11.4 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Utah's top lakes, each with its readings
Utah's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Zion?
Quail Creek Reservoir is about 21 miles from Zion National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Zion →More lakes in Utah
Other Lakes in Utah
Oligotrophic Lakes in Utah
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2019–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX36 samples · 2019–2025
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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.