Howard Prairie Lake
Jackson County, Oregon1,990 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #7 of 7 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Howard Prairie Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10 µg/L. Surface area: 1990 acres.
- Area
- 1,990 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 10 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Howard Prairie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Howard Prairie 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Howard Prairie Lake are listed below.
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Watch Howard Prairie Lake’s letter
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Howard Prairie Lake is a 1,990-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Oregon. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving 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, Howard Prairie Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Howard Prairie Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,990 acres
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Howard Prairie Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 10 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,990 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Howard Prairie Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Howard Prairie ResortPublic
- Grizzly CreekPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Howard Prairie Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Howard Prairie Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Howard Prairie Dam (completed 1958), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Jenny Creek; earth-type dam, 100 ft tall and 1,040 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,990 ac
- Normal storage
- 62,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 76,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 28.11 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00580 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Howard Prairie Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1801020604_05_100490 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 7 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Howard Prairie Lake
Where is Howard Prairie Lake?
- Howard Prairie Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Oregon. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Howard Prairie Lake?
- Howard Prairie Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10 µg/L. Surface area: 1990 acres.
Is Howard Prairie Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Howard Prairie Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Howard Prairie Lake?
- Howard Prairie Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Howard Prairie Resort, Grizzly Creek. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Howard Prairie Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory