Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water

Elko County Lake Quality

Nevada, 33 lakes, measured by NDEP

The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. 4 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Most monitored lakes in Elko County are productive, shallow basins; each lake page shows its own phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings beside the EPA condition class.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the readings sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest measured lake is Sheep Creek Lake.

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Where to stay near Elko County

Top-rated places to stay near Elko County

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Quick Answers for Elko County

Cleanest lakes in Elko County →Cleanest lakes in Nevada →Best swimming lakes in Nevada →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Sheep Creek Lake — or check the official Nevada fishing regulations.

All Lakes in Elko County

33 lakes · 4 ranked on readings, 29 without enough sampling4 lakes ranked on readings · 29 without enough sampling, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (29)

#	Lake	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Max Depth	Access
1	Sheep Creek LakeElko	6.2 ft	83 µg/L	19.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
2	Billy Shaw LakeElko	No recent samples	34 µg/L	15 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
3	Mountain View LakeElko	No recent samples	40 µg/L	17.2 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
4	Wildhorse ReservoirElko	5.9 ft	107 µg/L	67.2 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Sheep Creek Middle ReservoirElko	3 ft	164.5 µg/L	63.7 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Willow Creek Reservoir EastElko	No recent samples	480 µg/L	27 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Willow Creek Reservoir WestElko	No recent samples	455 µg/L	5.3 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Wildhorse Res Inlet LakeElko	No recent samples	124.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Wildhorse Res North Arm LakeElko	No recent samples	304 µg/L	6.7 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby Lake Unit Twenty-oneElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby Lake Unit ThirteenElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby LakeElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby Lake Unit FourteenElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby Lake Unit TwentyElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Ruby Lake Unit TenElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Snow Water LakeElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Franklin LakeElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Zunino ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Spring Creek ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Bull Run ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Wilson ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	30 ft	✓ Public
	Dry Creek ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Josephine ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Desert Ranch ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Corral Lake ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Boies ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Charleston ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Boyd ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Lake PhyllisElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Bishop Creek ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Dake ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Crittenden ReservoirElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	Goshute LakeElko	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded

NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.

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Source: the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. See data sources.