Crescent Lake
Klamath County, Oregon4,008 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Crescent Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Public access
- Limited data
Crescent Lake in Klamath County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 42.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L. Surface area: 4008 acres.
Crescent Lake is a 4,008-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Klamath County, Oregon. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Klamath County, Crescent Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2021-08-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Crescent Lake covers about 4,000 acres in Klamath County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Crescent Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Crescent Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water42.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping5 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water4,008 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. Crescent Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crescent Lake 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 Crescent Lake
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Crescent Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 42.2 ft down. Chlorophyll-a 1.2 µg/L. TSI 28.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 42.2ft | Measured, not scored 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) | 1.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 28 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Crescent Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
4,008 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Crescent Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Spring CampgroundPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Crescent Lake
- Contorta Point Group Camp2.3 kmReserve
- Spring2.8 km
- Whitefish Horse Camp3.4 km
- Windy Group Site3.6 km
- Windy Group Camp3.7 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 Crescent Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crescent Lake in Klamath 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Crescent Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Crescent Lake → · more Oregon lake trips
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Fishing Crescent Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.2 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Crescent Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Crescent Lake (completed 1956), built primarily for irrigation on the Crecent Lake; earth-type dam, 41 ft tall and 1,250 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,008 ac
- Normal storage
- 86,050 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 119,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 61 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- TUMALO IRRIGATION DISTRICT
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00381 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Crescent Lake 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: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1707030202_05_100084 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Klamath County
Frequently asked questions about Crescent Lake
Where is Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake is a lake in Klamath County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake in Klamath County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 42.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L. Surface area: 4008 acres.
Is Crescent Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crescent Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spring Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake 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.
Are there campgrounds on Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake has 5 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Contorta Point Group Camp, Spring, Whitefish Horse Camp, Windy Group Site. 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 Crescent Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 19.9 mi, nearest Lemolo Falls
2 thermal springs within 23.9 mi, nearest Umpqua Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its readings
Oregon's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Crater Lake?
Crescent Lake is about 38 miles from Crater Lake National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Crater Lake →More lakes in Oregon
Other Lakes in Oregon
Oligotrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Department of Environmental Quality - State of Oregon
OREGONDEQ10 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 2012 National Lakes Assessment Field Operations Manual
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles