Rampart Reservoir
El Paso County, Colorado300 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 84 ft max depth
- Limited data
Rampart Reservoir in El Paso County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 28.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1 µg/L. Surface area: 300 acres.
- Clarity
- 28.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~84 ft est.
- Area
- 300 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
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Watch Rampart Reservoir’s letter
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Rampart Reservoir is a 300-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in El Paso County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 84 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in El Paso County, Rampart Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2022-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Rampart Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water28.5 ft of visibility
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Crystal clear, you can see 28.5 ft down. Phosphorus 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1 µg/L. TSI 38. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 28.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~84 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 300 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 Rampart 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 Rampart Reservoir
- Thunder Ridge1.8 km
- Meadow Ridge2.1 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 Rampart Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rampart Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rampart (completed 1970), built primarily for hydroelectric on the West Monument Creek; earth-type dam, 250 ft tall and 3,400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 300 ac
- Normal storage
- 41,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Colorado Springs, City of
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00434 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in El Paso County
Nearby Lakes in El Paso County
Frequently asked questions about Rampart Reservoir
Where is Rampart Reservoir?
- Rampart Reservoir is a lake in El Paso County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Rampart Reservoir?
- Rampart Reservoir in El Paso County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 28.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1 µg/L. Surface area: 300 acres.
Is Rampart Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Rampart Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Rampart Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 84 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 300 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Rampart Reservoir?
- Rampart Reservoir has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Thunder Ridge, Meadow Ridge. 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.
Explore Rampart Reservoir across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Colorado'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
18 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX18 samples · 2022
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 (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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles