Cherry Creek Reservoir has periodic blue-green algae blooms and high chlorophyll α concentrations. The conditions that cause these algae blooms are complex; therefore, CCBWQA uses two models to help make management decisions: one for the Reservoir and one for the Watershed. A method to link the two models was completed in 2020.

CCBWQA uses the two models to better understand how watershed and in-reservoir processes interact and affect water quality. The models help CCBWQA ask "what if" questions that can be used to identify and prioritize actions to improve water quality in the Reservoir.