Starvation Reservoir
Duchesne County, Utah3,310 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- #1 of 9 in the county
- Public access
Starvation Reservoir in Duchesne County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3310 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.2 ft
- Area
- 3,310 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Starvation Reservoir’s letter
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Starvation Reservoir is a 3,310-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Duchesne County, Utah. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 8 other monitored lakes in Duchesne County, Starvation Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Utah DWQ, last sampled 2025-09-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Starvation Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water3,310 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Starvation Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.4 µg/L. TSI 38. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 3,310 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Starvation Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Starvation State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Starvation Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 14 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.03 m/yr | 14 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.08 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Starvation Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Starvation Dam (completed 1970), built primarily for irrigation on the Strawberry River; earth-type dam, 210 ft tall and 3,070 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,310 ac
- Normal storage
- 165,320 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 186,990 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,058.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID UT10136 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Starvation Reservoir 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 UT-L-14060004-006_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 9 lakes in Duchesne County
Nearby Lakes in Duchesne County
Frequently asked questions about Starvation Reservoir
Where is Starvation Reservoir?
- Starvation Reservoir is a lake in Duchesne County, Utah. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Starvation Reservoir?
- Starvation Reservoir in Duchesne County, Utah has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 3310 acres.
Is Starvation Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Starvation Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Starvation Reservoir?
- Starvation Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Starvation State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Starvation Reservoir across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Utah's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Other Grade A Lakes in Utah
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Where this data comes from
2,415 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Utah Department Of Environmental Quality
UTAHDWQ_WQX2,415 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- Field Measurements
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- Metals in Water by ICP-AES
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidiy determined in the field
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory