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Blue Mesa Landscape.jpg
Mshuang2 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Colorado → Blue Mesa Reservoir

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Colorado · Reservoir impounded 1966 · near Gunnison

9,180 acres 340 ft deep 18 ft clarity Water C
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5.2SCORE
Survey summary · Colorado
9,180
Surface acres
340 ft
Max depth
96 mi
Shoreline
18 ft
Typical clarity
7,519 ft
Elevation
Blue Mesa Landscape.jpg Blue Mesa Reservoir Colorado.jpg BLUE MESA RESERVOIR CREATED BY THE DAMMING OF GUNNISON RIVER - NARA - 543643.jpg

Photographs of Blue Mesa Reservoir via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Blue Mesa Reservoir covers 9,180 acres in Colorado and drops to 340 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1966 and managed by Bureau of Reclamation. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 40 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Limited; Gunnison County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Deep water — 340 ft max
  • Fishing
  • Boating

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 40 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 6.5
Recreation 6.4
Value 3.8
Access 5.3
Investment 3.5

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Lake troutKokanee salmonRainbow troutBrown trout

On the water

FishingBoatingIce fishingSailing
No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.
21.60 deg C
Temperature
2026-08-04
1.46 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs autumn low · Blue Mesa Reservoir
40 ft FULL POOL AUTUMN LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 40 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 36 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 527 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 340 ft max avg 109 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 340 ft, average 109 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown40 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity18 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation7,519 ft Managing authorityBureau of Reclamation
This lake moves. A drawdown near 40 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityNPS Curecanti Wake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with NPS Curecanti that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Limited; Gunnison County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$950,000
Median waterfront
$3,777
Per shoreline foot
+1.1%
Year over year
9
Est. inventory
128
Avg days on market
$559
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy40% Booked nights / yr105 Gross revenue$64,839 Net operating income$31,922 Yield on median price3.36%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Blue Mesa Reservoir actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$7,817
All-in per month
$216,050
Cash to close + setup
$19,780
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$93,809 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $60,064 (65%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $10,450 (11%) Property taxes $9,975 (11%) Hazard insurance $3,990 (4%) Flood insurance $3,240 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (3%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$60,064
Property taxes$9,975
Hazard insurance$3,990
Flood insurance$3,240
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$10,450
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$93,809
Model your own numbers →

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