Rio Blanco County, Colorado · Water Quality Report Card
Rio Blanco Lake
Rio Blanco Lake in Rio Blanco County, Colorado is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L.
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
Rio Blanco Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Rio Blanco County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2021-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water Quality Grade: Not rated
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No data | |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.4 µg/L | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Rio Blanco Lake.
Where to stay near Rio Blanco Lake
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Fishing Rio Blanco Lake
Location
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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.
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX3 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2021-09-21
Monitoring stations: 1