Six Mile Dam Lake
Eddy County, New Mexico70 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.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Limited data
Six Mile Dam Lake in Eddy County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 110.3 µg/L. Surface area: 70 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Area
- 70 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 110.3 µg/L
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Stays near Six Mile Dam Lake
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Watch Six Mile Dam Lake’s letter
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Why Six Mile Dam 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 Six Mile Dam Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
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 NMED and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Six Mile Dam Lake is a 70-acre lake in Eddy County, New Mexico.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2013-11-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Six Mile Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Six Mile Dam Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 110.3 µg/L. TSI 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 110.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 70 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Six Mile Dam Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Six Mile Dam Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Six Mile Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Six Mile Power Dam (completed 1905), built primarily for recreation on the Pecos River; gravity-type dam, 25 ft tall and 800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 70 ac
- Normal storage
- 350 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 350 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 18,000 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- CITY OF CARLSBAD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00195 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.03 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Six Mile Dam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NM-2202.B_20 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Six Mile Dam Lake
Six Mile Dam Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Eddy County
Frequently asked questions about Six Mile Dam Lake
Where is Six Mile Dam Lake?
- Six Mile Dam Lake is a lake in Eddy County, New Mexico. 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 Six Mile Dam Lake?
- Six Mile Dam Lake in Eddy County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 110.3 µg/L. Surface area: 70 acres.
Is Six Mile Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Six Mile Dam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Six Mile Dam Lake across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 20.6 mi, nearest Mosley Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Planning a trip around Carlsbad Caverns?
Six Mile Dam Lake is about 29 miles from Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 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 Carlsbad Caverns →More New Mexico Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX6 samples · 2013
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database