Nelson Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Anyone who has driven from Springerville
to Alpine
has seen Nelson Reservoir. A long and narrow lake, it follows the Nutrioso Creek Valley for nearly a mile. Fish that remain in Nelson Reservoir after summer stockings can grow to good size, making it a popular fishing site with local anglers.
s, as such the facilities located here are managed by that authority.
Nelson Reservoir is located on Nutrioso Creek. It has 90 acres (36.4 ha) with a maximum depth of 24 feet (7.3 m) and an average depth of 8 feet (2.4 m). When the lake stops spilling in the spring, it is stocked with up to 20,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout until Labor Day. Stocking may end sooner if water quality conditions become unfavorable. Nelson Reservoir is subject to algae
blooms and excessive weed growth as summer progresses. The lake contains native bluehead suckers and illegally introduced black crappie and green sunfish. The lake once contained brown, cutthroat and brook trout, but none remain today.
Springerville, Arizona
Springerville is a town in Apache County, Arizona, United States within the White Mountains. Its postal ZIP code is 85938. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 1,956.Springerville sits at an elevation of 6,974 feet...
to Alpine
Alpine, Arizona
Alpine is an unincorporated community in Apache County, Arizona, United States, in Bush Valley in the east central part of the state. Alpine was settled in 1876 by Anderson Bush who built a log house originally known as "Fort Bush". Bush sold his holdings in 1879 to William Maxwell and Fred...
has seen Nelson Reservoir. A long and narrow lake, it follows the Nutrioso Creek Valley for nearly a mile. Fish that remain in Nelson Reservoir after summer stockings can grow to good size, making it a popular fishing site with local anglers.
Locations
Nelson Reservoir is situated at 7412 feet (2,259.2 m) on the Apache-Sitgreaves National ForestApache-Sitgreaves National Forest
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is a United States National Forest which runs along the Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains in east-central Arizona and extending into New Mexico, USA. Both forests are managed as one unit by USDA Forest Service from the forest headquarters in Springerville,...
s, as such the facilities located here are managed by that authority.
Description
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
blooms and excessive weed growth as summer progresses. The lake contains native bluehead suckers and illegally introduced black crappie and green sunfish. The lake once contained brown, cutthroat and brook trout, but none remain today.