Fish Lake
Jackson County, Oregon415 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Fish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Fish Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.8 µg/L. Surface area: 415 acres.
Fish Lake is a 415-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Oregon. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Fish Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Fish Lake covers about 420 acres in Jackson County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Fish Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Fish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Fish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fish 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 Fish Lake
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Fish 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. Chlorophyll-a 7.8 µg/L. TSI 51.
| 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) | 7.8µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Fish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
415 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Fish Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Fish Lake Recreation AreaPublic
- Fish Lake ResortSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Fish Lake
- Fish Lake Campground0.4 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 Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish Lake in Jackson 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 Fish Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Fish Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Fish Lake → · more Oregon lake trips
Follow Fish Lake’s readings
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Fishing Fish Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.7 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fish Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fish Lake Dam (completed 1908), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Little Butte Creek; rockfill-type dam, 50 ft tall and 960 ft long.
- Surface area
- 415 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,897 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,397 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.93 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MEDFORD IRRIGATION DISTRICT;ROGUE RIVER VALLEY IRRIGATION DISTRICT
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00021 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Fish 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: Drinking water, Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1710030708_02_100251 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
Where is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.8 µg/L. Surface area: 415 acres.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fish Lake Recreation Area, Fish Lake Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Fish Lake Campground. 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 Fish Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Crater Lake?
Fish Lake is about 39 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
Eutrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
8 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
OREGONDEQ8 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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles