Saguaro Lake
Maricopa County, Arizona1,265 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Limited data
Saguaro Lake in Maricopa County, Arizona is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 1265 acres.
- Area
- 1,265 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Saguaro Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Saguaro Lake
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Watch Saguaro Lake’s letter
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Why Saguaro Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Saguaro Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by ADEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Saguaro Lake is a 1,265-acre lake in Maricopa County, Arizona. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2025-11-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Saguaro Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water1,265 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Saguaro Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,265 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Saguaro Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Saguaro Lake
- Bagley Flat3.0 km
- Bagley Flat3.0 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 Saguaro Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.22 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.38 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.78 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Saguaro Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Stewart Mountain Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Salt River; concrete-type dam, 210 ft tall and 1,260 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,265 ac
- Normal storage
- 69,765 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 70,070 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6,191.12 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Irrigation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AZ10318 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Saguaro Lake
Saguaro Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Maricopa County
Frequently asked questions about Saguaro Lake
Where is Saguaro Lake?
- Saguaro Lake is a lake in Maricopa County, Arizona. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Saguaro Lake?
- Saguaro Lake in Maricopa County, Arizona is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 1265 acres.
Is Saguaro Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Saguaro Lake?
- Saguaro Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Bagley Flat, Bagley Flat. 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 Saguaro Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
21.5 mi away · recorded at 118°F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Great Lakes Environmental Center
GLEC10 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 300.0 ~ EPA; Determination of Inorganic Anions by Ion Chromatography
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles