Stagecoach Lake
Routt County, Colorado819 acresView mapDirections
Colorado WQCD publishes the water-quality measurements for Stagecoach Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Stagecoach Lake in Routt County, Colorado has water-quality measurements published by Colorado WQCD, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Surface area: 819 acres.
Stagecoach Lake is a 819-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Routt County, Colorado. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Routt County, Stagecoach Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2024-07-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Stagecoach Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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 Stagecoach Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Stagecoach Lake
These are the measurements Colorado WQCD publishes for Stagecoach Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 50 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 50µg/L | Poor 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. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Stagecoach Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
819 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Colorado WQCD
No bathymetric survey has been published for Stagecoach Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Stagecoach State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Stagecoach Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stagecoach Lake in Routt County, Colorado — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Stagecoach Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Stagecoach Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Stagecoach Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-25 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+15.2 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Stagecoach Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Stagecoach (completed 1988), built primarily for water supply on the Yampa River; roller-compacted concrete-type dam, 150 ft tall and 390 ft long.
- Surface area
- 819 ac
- Normal storage
- 36,439 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 227 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Irrigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO02702 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Routt County
Frequently asked questions about Stagecoach Lake
Where is Stagecoach Lake?
- Stagecoach Lake is a lake in Routt County, Colorado. Its water-quality measurements are published by Colorado WQCD and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Stagecoach Lake?
- Stagecoach Lake in Routt County, Colorado has water-quality measurements published by Colorado WQCD, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Surface area: 819 acres.
Is Stagecoach Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Stagecoach Lake?
- Stagecoach Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stagecoach State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Stagecoach Lake?
- Stagecoach Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Colorado's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Stagecoach Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado State University Agricultural Water Quality Program (Volunteer)
CSU_AWQP29 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory