Catnip Reservoir
Washoe County, Nevada69 acresView 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 · Metals (other than mercury)
- Limited data
Catnip Reservoir in Washoe County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 100 µg/L. Surface area: 69 acres.
- Area
- 69 acres
- Phosphorus
- 100 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Catnip Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Catnip Reservoir in Washoe 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Catnip 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Nevada’s top lakes →
Watch Catnip Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Catnip Reservoir 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 Catnip Reservoir, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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 NDEP and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Catnip Reservoir is a 69-acre lake in Washoe County, Nevada. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2019-07-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Catnip Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Catnip Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 100 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 100 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 69 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Catnip Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Catnip Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.8 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Catnip Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Catnip Dam (completed 1910), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Catnip Creek; earth-type dam, 19 ft tall and 270 ft long.
- Surface area
- 69 ac
- Normal storage
- 243 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 937 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 43.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV10127 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Catnip 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 NV01-NW-03-A_00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Catnip Reservoir
Catnip Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Washoe County
Frequently asked questions about Catnip Reservoir
Where is Catnip Reservoir?
- Catnip Reservoir is a lake in Washoe County, Nevada. 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 Catnip Reservoir?
- Catnip Reservoir in Washoe County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 100 µg/L. Surface area: 69 acres.
Is Catnip Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Catnip Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Catnip Reservoir across LakeQuality
2 thermal springs within 20.9 mi, nearest Warm Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nevada's top lakes, each with its grade
Nevada's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Nevada Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Nevada
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Nevada
Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX2 samples · 2018–2019
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus by Ascorbic Acid
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