San Bernardino County Lake Quality
California, 5 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
San Bernardino County has 5 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, San Bernardino County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
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 Copper Canyon Bay Lake (D); the most-stressed is Copper Canyon Bay Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for San Bernardino County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Copper Canyon Bay Lake — or check the official California fishing regulations.
All Lakes in San Bernardino County
5 lakes · 4 graded, 1 not rated4 graded lakes · 1 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DCopper Canyon Bay LakeSan Bernardino | D | 13.2 ft | 460 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | DCopper Canyon Inlet LakeSan Bernardino | D | 15.5 ft | 385 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | DJackie'S Cove LakeSan Bernardino | D | 7.8 ft | 420 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | DLake Havasu CenterSan Bernardino | D | 12.3 ft | 430 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRBig Bear LakeSan Bernardino | NR | No recent samples | 100 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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 San Bernardino 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.