Clearwater River Lake
Missoula County, MontanaView mapDirections
Montana DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Clearwater River Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Limited data
Clearwater River Lake in Missoula County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L.
Clearwater River Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Missoula County, Montana. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 39 other monitored lakes in Missoula County, Clearwater River Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Montana DEQ, last sampled 2022-09-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Clearwater River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Clearwater River Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Clearwater River Lake
These are the measurements Montana DEQ publishes for Clearwater River Lake, 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 12 µg/L. TSI 40.
| 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 | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading 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. | 40 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Clearwater River Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Clearwater River Lake
- Double Arrow Lookout3.1 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Clearwater River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clearwater River Lake in Missoula County, Montana — 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 Clearwater River Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Clearwater River Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 13 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Water clarity
Stable8 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.51 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable0 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Missoula County
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater River Lake
Where is Clearwater River Lake?
- Clearwater River Lake is a lake in Missoula County, Montana. Its water-quality measurements are published by Montana DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clearwater River Lake?
- Clearwater River Lake in Missoula County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L.
Is Clearwater River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Clearwater River Lake?
- Clearwater River Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Double Arrow Lookout. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Clearwater River Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Montana Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
MTVOLWQM_WQX8 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles