Bilk Creek Reservoir
Humboldt County, Nevada41 acresView mapDirections
NDEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Bilk Creek Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Metals (other than mercury)
- Limited data
Bilk Creek Reservoir in Humboldt County, Nevada has water-quality measurements published by NDEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L. Surface area: 41 acres.
Bilk Creek Reservoir is a 41-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Humboldt County, Nevada. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Humboldt County, Bilk Creek Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2018-08-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bilk Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bilk Creek Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bilk Creek Reservoir
These are the measurements NDEP publishes for Bilk Creek Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 0.5 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 160µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 0.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bilk Creek Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
41 acres
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bilk Creek Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bilk Creek Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bilk Creek Reservoir in Humboldt County, Nevada — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Bilk Creek Reservoir are listed below.
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Fishing Bilk Creek Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2012–2018).
Phosphorus
Worsening+7.41 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.42 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bilk Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bilk Creek Reservoir Dam (completed 1950), built primarily for irrigation on the Bilk Creek; earth-type dam, 46 ft tall and 623 ft long.
- Surface area
- 41 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- DENNY LAND AND CATTLE COMPANY
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV00024 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bilk Creek Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Drinking water, Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NV02-BL-09-B_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Humboldt County
Frequently asked questions about Bilk Creek Reservoir
Where is Bilk Creek Reservoir?
- Bilk Creek Reservoir is a lake in Humboldt County, Nevada. Its water-quality measurements are published by NDEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bilk Creek Reservoir?
- Bilk Creek Reservoir in Humboldt County, Nevada has water-quality measurements published by NDEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 160 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L. Surface area: 41 acres.
Is Bilk Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bilk Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Bilk Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX6 samples · 2016–2018
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus by Ascorbic Acid
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database