Cat Creek Reference Lake
Elmore County, IdahoView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Limited data
Cat Creek Reference Lake in Elmore County, Idaho is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
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Watch Cat Creek Reference Lake’s letter
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Why Cat Creek Reference Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Cat Creek Reference Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by IDEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Cat Creek Reference Lake is a lake in Elmore County, Idaho.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEQ, last sampled 2016-04-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cat Creek Reference Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Cat Creek Reference Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Fishing Cat Creek Reference Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Cat Creek Reference Lake 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 ID17050113SW005L_0L · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.73 km)
Nearby Lakes in Elmore County
Frequently asked questions about Cat Creek Reference Lake
Where is Cat Creek Reference Lake?
- Cat Creek Reference Lake is a lake in Elmore County, Idaho. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Cat Creek Reference Lake?
- Cat Creek Reference Lake in Elmore County, Idaho is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Cat Creek Reference Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Cat Creek Reference Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Bureau of Reclamation
1119USBR_WQX1 sample · 2016
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