Vega Reservoir
Mesa County, Colorado1,109 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 53 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Vega Reservoir in Mesa County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19 µg/L. Surface area: 1109 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~53 ft est.
- Area
- 1,109 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Vega Reservoir is a 1,109-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Mesa County, Colorado with an estimated average depth of about 53 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Mesa County, Vega Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, CDPHE, last sampled 2023-07-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Vega Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water1,109 acres
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Vega 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: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
→ Vega Reservoir water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~53 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~52 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,109 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 Vega 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
- Vega State ParkPublic
- Vega State ParkPublic
- Vega State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Vega Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -30 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Vega Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Vega Dam (completed 1959), built primarily for irrigation on the Plateau Creek; earth-type dam, 162 ft tall and 2,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,109 ac
- Normal storage
- 32,980 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 38,102 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 24.05 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CO01697 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Vega 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 COLCLC20_D · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Mesa County
Nearby Lakes in Mesa County
Frequently asked questions about Vega Reservoir
Where is Vega Reservoir?
- Vega Reservoir is a lake in Mesa County, Colorado. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Vega Reservoir?
- Vega Reservoir in Mesa County, Colorado has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19 µg/L. Surface area: 1109 acres.
Is Vega Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Vega 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 Vega Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Vega Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 53 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 1109 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Vega Reservoir?
- Vega Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Vega State Park, Vega State Park, Vega State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Vega Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Colorado
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment-WQCD
21COL001_WQX21 samples · 2022–2023
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 (3)
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