
Owyhee County Lake Quality
Idaho, 34 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
There are 34 monitored lakes in Owyhee County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. On average, Owyhee 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 Mountain View Lake (D); the most-stressed is Mountain View Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Owyhee County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Mountain View Lake — or check the official Idaho fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Owyhee County
34 lakes · 1 graded, 33 not rated1 graded lake · 33 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DMountain View LakeOwyhee | D | No recent samples | 39 µg/L | 14 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRMpipeline Rd LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRAnderson ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRForster ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRDougal ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHulet-Sinker Creek ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTriangle ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRStar ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRJuniper Basin ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHomer Wells ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMud FlatOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRJuniper LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHenry LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBybee ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRough LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRoss LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLittle Blue Creek ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSage Hen ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPayne Creek ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBuckhorn ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRDry LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBull Creek ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTindall ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCove Arm LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRC J Strike ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRDunes LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRGrasmere ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBig Blue Creek ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWhites ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLower Nichol Flat ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRO X LakeOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTwin Lakes ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTwin LakesOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRForemans ReservoirOwyhee | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in Idaho
See how Owyhee County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.