
Marion County Lake Quality
Oregon, 14 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Marion County holds 14 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. With an average grade of B, Marion County sits comfortably above the Oregon median.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Detroit Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Marion County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Detroit Lake — or check the official Oregon fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Marion County
14 lakes · 1 graded, 13 not rated1 graded lake · 13 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BDetroit LakeMarion | B | No recent samples | 15 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRStone Quarry LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWillamette SloughMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSilver Creek ReservoirMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMcKay ReservoirMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSpada ReservoirMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSkookum LakesMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMission Creek ReservoirMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHorseshoe LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMission LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRClear LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRElk LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRBreitenbush LakeMarion | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRFish LakeMarion | 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 Oregon
See how Marion 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.