Brownlee Reservoir
Baker County, OregonView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Hydrologic alteration
- #5 of 5 in the county
- 108 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Brownlee Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 108 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~108 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 108 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Brownlee Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Brownlee Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon — 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Brownlee Reservoir are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Brownlee Reservoir
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Brownlee Reservoir → · more Oregon lake trips
Watch Brownlee Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Brownlee Reservoir is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Baker County, Oregon with an estimated average depth of about 108 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Baker County, Brownlee Reservoir ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Brownlee Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Brownlee Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for hydrologic alteration, mercury, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 108 µg/L. TSI 77. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 108 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 77 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~108 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Oregon has not published bathymetry for Brownlee Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Swede's LandingPublic
- John Noble HolcombPublic
- Hewitt ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Brownlee Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +86 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Brownlee Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1705020311_05_100605 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 5 lakes in Baker County
Nearby Lakes in Baker County
Frequently asked questions about Brownlee Reservoir
Where is Brownlee Reservoir?
- Brownlee Reservoir is a lake in Baker County, Oregon. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Brownlee Reservoir?
- Brownlee Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 108 µg/L.
Is Brownlee Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Brownlee Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for hydrologic alteration, mercury, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Brownlee Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Brownlee Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 108 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Brownlee Reservoir?
- Brownlee Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Swede's Landing, John Noble Holcomb, Hewitt Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Brownlee Reservoir across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 24.2 mi, nearest Nelson Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Oregon's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Oregon Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Oregon
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Department of Environmental Quality - State of Oregon
OREGONDEQ6 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory