Donner Lake
Nevada County, California834 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from SWRCB for this lake.
- Impaired · Metals (other than mercury)
- Public access
- Limited data
Donner Lake in Nevada County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 834 acres.
Donner Lake is a 834-acre lake in Nevada County, California. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Donner Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping4 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Donner Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Donner Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the California State Water Resources Control Board and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Donner Lake
These are the measurements SWRCB publishes for Donner 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.
Ask about Donner Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
834 acres
Shoreline
6.9 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by SWRCB
No bathymetric survey has been published for Donner Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Donner LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Donner Lake
- Splitrock CG2.4 km
- Ridge CG2.8 km
- Donner Memorial Hike/Bike (sites 93,95)3.1 km
- Creek CG3.1 km
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 Donner Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Donner Lake in Nevada County, California — 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 Donner Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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.
Follow Donner Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Donner Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Donner Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAL6352002119980806104900 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Nevada County
Frequently asked questions about Donner Lake
Where is Donner Lake?
- Donner Lake is a lake in Nevada County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Donner Lake?
- Donner Lake in Nevada County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 834 acres.
Is Donner Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Donner Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Donner Lake?
- Donner Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Donner Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Donner Lake?
- Donner 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 California's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Donner Lake?
- Donner Lake has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Splitrock CG, Ridge CG, Donner Memorial Hike/Bike (sites 93,95), Creek CG. 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 Donner Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in California
Other Lakes in California
Where this data comes from
Measurements for Donner Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
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