Is Upper Pitt-Taylor Reservoir Polluted?
Yes — Upper Pitt-Taylor Reservoir in Pershing County, Nevada is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2022 assessment cycle). It is cited for Mercury, Metals (other than mercury), Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), Other cause, Salinity / chlorides, Toxic inorganics. No cleanup plan (TMDL) has been completed yet. "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) | Not yet written |
| 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 | Pershing County, Nevada |
Pollutants Cited
- 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.
- Metals (other than mercury) — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen) — Excess phosphorus and nitrogen fuel algae growth and summer blooms. This is the classic agricultural-runoff and shoreline-development impairment, and the one most likely to affect swimming via blue-green algae.
- Other cause — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Salinity / chlorides — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
- Toxic inorganics — listed by EPA as exceeding water-quality standards for at least one designated use.
Specific parameters in the EPA record: Arsenic, Boron, Chloride, Fluoride, Mercury in Fish Tissue, Phosphorus, Selenium, Sodium Absorption Ratio, Sulfate, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
What this means for using Upper Pitt-Taylor Reservoir
Because Upper Pitt-Taylor Reservoir is listed for Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), swimming can be affected — check for posted beach advisories, especially after heavy rain or during visible algae. 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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