Is Mount Elbert Forebay safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Mount Elbert Forebay in Lake County, Colorado is clear to swim. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.1 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Mount Elbert Forebay is a lake in Lake County, Colorado covering about 0.4 sq mi, the 107th-largest of the 107 lakes SwimZone monitors in Colorado. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Mount Elbert Forebay has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

Is it safe to swim in Mount Elbert Forebay right now?

Mount Elbert Forebay is clear to swim today. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Mount Elbert Forebay have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

No blue-green algae bloom is detectable at Mount Elbert Forebay as of July 19, 2026 (below the satellite's roughly 10,000 cells/mL detection limit). Cyanobacteria can still appear within hours in warm, calm, nutrient-rich water, so look before you swim.

Can dogs swim in Mount Elbert Forebay?

No bloom is detected at Mount Elbert Forebay today, but dogs are much more vulnerable to blue-green algae than people, and blooms can form within hours. Always keep dogs away from water that looks green, scummy, or discolored, and rinse them off after swimming.

How often does Mount Elbert Forebay have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Mount Elbert Forebay has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

How many Colorado lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 26 Colorado waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 3 more warrant caution, out of 113 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Mount Elbert Forebay's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Mount Elbert Forebay, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.