Sweitzer Reservoir
Delta County, Colorado139 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 4 in the county
- 12 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sweitzer Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 139 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Area
- 139 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Sweitzer Reservoir’s letter
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Sweitzer Reservoir is a 139-acre mesotrophic lake in Delta County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Delta County, Sweitzer Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sweitzer Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sweitzer Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.3 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 32 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 139 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Colorado has not published bathymetry for Sweitzer Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Sweitzer Lake State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sweitzer Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sweitzer Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Garnet Mesa (completed 1954), built primarily for recreation on the Uncompahgre River-Tr; earth-type dam, 41 ft tall and 659 ft long.
- Surface area
- 139 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,333 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,980 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (TAYLOR, MARGARET)
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO00747 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sweitzer Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit COGUUN20_A · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.67 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 4 lakes in Delta County
Nearby Lakes in Delta County
Frequently asked questions about Sweitzer Reservoir
Where is Sweitzer Reservoir?
- Sweitzer Reservoir is a lake in Delta County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sweitzer Reservoir?
- Sweitzer Reservoir in Delta County, Colorado has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 139 acres.
Is Sweitzer Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sweitzer Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sweitzer Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sweitzer Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 12 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 139 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Sweitzer Reservoir?
- Sweitzer Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sweitzer Lake State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sweitzer Reservoir across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Black Canyon Of The Gunnison?
Sweitzer Reservoir is about 19 miles from Black Canyon Of The Gunnison 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 Black Canyon Of The Gunnison →More Colorado Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Colorado
Mesotrophic Lakes in Colorado
Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX18 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk depth measurement
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrogen in Water by Pyrolysis Detection
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory