Cold Springs Reservoir
Umatilla County, Oregon1,550 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Cold Springs Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Cold Springs Reservoir in Umatilla County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 126 µg/L. Surface area: 1550 acres.
Cold Springs Reservoir is a 1,550-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Umatilla County, Oregon. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Umatilla County, Cold Springs Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-09-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cold Springs Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water1,550 acres
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. Cold Springs Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cold Springs Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Cold Springs Reservoir
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Cold Springs 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. Chlorophyll-a 126 µg/L. TSI 78.
| 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 | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 126µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 78 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Cold Springs Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
1,550 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Cold Springs Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Cold Springs National Wildlife RefugePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cold Springs Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cold Springs Reservoir in Umatilla 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Cold Springs Reservoir are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cold Springs Reservoir
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Fishing Cold Springs Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+32.25 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+18.96 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cold Springs Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cold Springs Dam (completed 1908), built primarily for irrigation on the Umatilla River; earth-type dam, 115 ft tall and 3,450 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,550 ac
- Max storage
- 38,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 200.51 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00590 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Cold Springs 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1707010312_02_100011 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Umatilla County
Frequently asked questions about Cold Springs Reservoir
Where is Cold Springs Reservoir?
- Cold Springs Reservoir is a lake in Umatilla County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cold Springs Reservoir?
- Cold Springs Reservoir in Umatilla County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 126 µg/L. Surface area: 1550 acres.
Is Cold Springs Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cold Springs Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Cold Springs Reservoir?
- Cold Springs Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cold Springs National Wildlife Refuge. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cold Springs Reservoir?
- Cold Springs Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Oregon's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Cold Springs Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 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
OREGONDEQ7 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory