Silver Lake Shallow
Otero County, New Mexico9 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #4 of 4 in the county
Silver Lake Shallow in Otero County, New Mexico has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Surface area: 9.1 acres.
- Area
- 9 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 50 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Silver Lake Shallow
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Silver Lake Shallow in Otero County, New Mexico — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Silver Lake Shallow are listed below.
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Watch Silver Lake Shallow’s letter
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Silver Lake Shallow is a 9-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otero County, New Mexico. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Otero County, Silver Lake Shallow ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2024-12-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.9 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Silver Lake Shallow, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Silver Lake Shallow
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 9 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Silver Lake Shallow is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Silver Lake (completed 1963), built primarily for recreation on the Silver Springs Creek -TR; earth-type dam, 57 ft tall and 535 ft long.
- Surface area
- 9.1 ac
- Normal storage
- 125 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 193.1 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.95 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BIA
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00160 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.21 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Otero County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Silver Lake Shallow holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Otero County
Frequently asked questions about Silver Lake Shallow
Where is Silver Lake Shallow?
- Silver Lake Shallow is a lake in Otero County, New Mexico. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Silver Lake Shallow?
- Silver Lake Shallow in Otero County, New Mexico has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Surface area: 9.1 acres.
Is Silver Lake Shallow safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Silver Lake Shallow across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New Mexico'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
49 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Mescalero Apache Tribe DRMP (Tribal)
DRMPWQX49 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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.