Comins Reservoir
White Pine County, Nevada80 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Limited data
Comins Reservoir in White Pine County, Nevada has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
- Area
- 80 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Comins Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Comins Reservoir in White Pine 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 Comins 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 Comins Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Comins Reservoir is a 80-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in White Pine County, Nevada. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in White Pine County, Comins Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Comins Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.4 µg/L. TSI 43. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 80 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Comins Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Comins Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.44 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Comins Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Comins Lake Dam, built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Steptoe Creek-Os; earth-type dam, 20 ft tall and 981 ft long.
- Surface area
- 80 ac
- Normal storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 60 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
All listed purposes: Fish and Wildlife Pond;Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV00174 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Comins 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 NV10-CE-33-C_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in White Pine County
Nearby Lakes in White Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Comins Reservoir
Where is Comins Reservoir?
- Comins Reservoir is a lake in White Pine County, Nevada. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Comins Reservoir?
- Comins Reservoir in White Pine County, Nevada has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
Is Comins Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Comins Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Comins Reservoir across LakeQuality
4 thermal springs within 21.8 mi, nearest Lackawanna Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nevada's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Nevada's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Nevada Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Nevada
Oligotrophic Lakes in Nevada
Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX14 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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