Is Brownlee Reservoir Polluted?
Yes — Brownlee Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2022 assessment cycle). It is cited for Algal growth, Mercury, Oxygen depletion (low DO), Pesticides, Sediment / turbidity, Temperature. A formal cleanup plan — a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) — has been written. "Impaired" is a legal designation, separate from the lake's EPA condition class water-quality readings: it means at least one designated use (such as swimming, aquatic life, or fish consumption) does not meet state standards for the listed pollutant.
EPA 303(d) Listing
| On 303(d) impaired list | Yes |
| Cleanup plan (TMDL) | Completed |
| Assessment cycle | 2022 |
| EPA IR category | 5 |
| Uses not supported | Drinking water, Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other |
| EPA names this lake in the listing | Yes |
| Location | Baker County, Oregon |
Pollutants Cited
- Algal growth — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Mercury — Mercury accumulates in fish tissue and is the single most common impairment in northern lakes. It usually arrives via atmospheric deposition from coal combustion rather than local discharge — which is why even remote, clear lakes can be mercury-impaired. It triggers fish-consumption advisories, not swimming closures.
- Oxygen depletion (low DO) — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Pesticides — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Sediment / turbidity — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Temperature — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
Specific parameters in the EPA record: 4,4'-DDD, 4,4'-DDE, 4,4'-DDT, Chlorophyll-a, Dieldrin, Dissolved Oxygen, Harmful Algal Blooms, Methylmercury, Sediment, Temperature.
What this means for using Brownlee Reservoir
Brownlee Reservoir's listing is driven by contaminants that build up in fish (Mercury), so the practical impact is on eating the fish, not on swimming. Follow the state fish-consumption advisory for Oregon. An impairment listing does not mean the lake is closed — most impaired lakes remain open for boating and swimming. It means a specific pollutant exceeds a standard for a specific use. See the full breakdown on the lake report. The official EPA assessment is available in the ATTAINS waterbody report.
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