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

Humboldt County Lake Quality

Nevada, 21 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)

Humboldt County's 21 monitored lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Nevada. 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. 3 of those lakes 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. 1 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 Onion Valley Reservoir @ Dam (C); the most-stressed is Knott Creek Reservoir (F).

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All Lakes in Humboldt County

21 lakes · 3 graded, 18 not rated3 graded lakes · 18 not rated, hidden

#LakeGradeClarityPhosphorusAlgaeTrophicAccess
1COnion Valley Reservoir @ DamHumboldtCNo recent samples50 µg/L4.6 µg/LNo recent samplesNot recorded
2DBilk Creek ReservoirHumboldtDNo recent samples160 µg/L0.5 µg/LNo recent samplesNot recorded
3FKnott Creek ReservoirHumboldtFNo recent samples145 µg/L59 µg/LNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRChimney Reservoir West Lobe NorthHumboldtNRNo recent samples480 µg/L13 µg/LNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRChimney Reservoir East LobeHumboldtNRNo recent samples590 µg/L16 µg/LNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRBuck LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRGooch LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRAlkali ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRAlkali FlatHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRSummit LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRHigh Rock LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRMud Meadow ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRWheeler ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRJackson ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRQuinn River LakesHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRContinental LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRLittle Onion ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRDeer Creek ReservoirHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRDry LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NROnion LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
NRGridley LakeHumboldtNRNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot 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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See how Humboldt 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.