Sandia Lakes Recreation Area
Sandoval County, New MexicoView mapDirections
NMED publishes the water-quality measurements for Sandia Lakes Recreation Area. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Sandia Lakes Recreation Area in Sandoval County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50.5 µg/L.
Sandia Lakes Recreation Area is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sandoval County, New Mexico. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Sandoval County, Sandia Lakes Recreation Area ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2026-06-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Sandia Lakes Recreation Area on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
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 Sandia Lakes Recreation Area is safe to swim in today is a call for the New Mexico Environment Department and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Sandia Lakes Recreation Area
These are the measurements NMED publishes for Sandia Lakes Recreation Area, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 50.5 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 50.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Stays near Sandia Lakes Recreation Area
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Fishing Sandia Lakes Recreation Area
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2018–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+12.5 µg/L/yr3 years
Nearby Lakes in Sandoval County
Frequently asked questions about Sandia Lakes Recreation Area
Where is Sandia Lakes Recreation Area?
- Sandia Lakes Recreation Area is a lake in Sandoval County, New Mexico. Its water-quality measurements are published by NMED and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sandia Lakes Recreation Area?
- Sandia Lakes Recreation Area in Sandoval County, New Mexico has water-quality measurements published by NMED, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50.5 µg/L.
Is Sandia Lakes Recreation Area safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Sandia Lakes Recreation Area across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Petroglyph?
Sandia Lakes Recreation Area is about 11 miles from Petroglyph National Monument. 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 Petroglyph →More lakes in New Mexico
Other Lakes in New Mexico
Eutrophic Lakes in New Mexico
Where this data comes from
180 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2015–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Pueblo of Sandia Water Quality Program (New Mexico)
SANDIAWQ_WQX180 samples · 2015–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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.