Butte County Lake Quality
California, 1 lake, average grade A (Excellent)
Butte County has 1 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. On average, Butte County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the California county ranking.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Lake Oroville (A); the most-stressed is Lake Oroville (A).
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Quick Answers for Butte County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Oroville — or check the official California fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Butte County
1 lake1 graded lake
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALake OrovilleButte | A | No recent samples | 6 µg/L | 1.8 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in California
See how Butte County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.