
Powell County Lake Quality
Montana, 20 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
There are 20 monitored lakes in Powell 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. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
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 Elbow Lake (D); the most-stressed is Elbow Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Powell County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Elbow Lake — or check the official Montana fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Powell County
20 lakes · 1 graded, 19 not rated1 graded lake · 19 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DElbow LakePowell | D | No recent samples | 11.6 µg/L | 4.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRMountain Ben LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRUpper Elliot LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLower Elliot LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLois LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRNevada LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRDoney LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRock Creek LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBrowns LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRKleinschmidt LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NREvans LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWales Creek ReservoirPowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRUpsata LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRBandy ReservoirPowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRJames LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRShoup LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRJones LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLahrity LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRDoney LakePowell | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCoopers LakePowell | 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 Montana
See how Powell 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.