Lake Elsinore
Riverside County, CaliforniaView mapDirections
SWRCB publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Elsinore. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Ammonia
- Public access
Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 117.5 µg/L.
Lake Elsinore is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Riverside 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, last sampled 2021-07-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Elsinore is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping4 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria advisory
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. Lake Elsinore is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for ammonia, biotoxins, oxygen depletion (low DO), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Elsinore 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 Lake Elsinore
These are the measurements SWRCB publishes for Lake Elsinore, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 117.5 µg/L. TSI 88.
| 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 | 150µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 118µg/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. | 88 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Lake Elsinore
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Elsinore Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Elsinore
- Launch Pointe Campground0.5 km
- Lake Park RV Resort and Lodge0.7 km
- Lake Elsinore Marina and RV Resort1.1 km
- El Cariso Campground4.5 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 Lake Elsinore
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Elsinore in Riverside 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Elsinore are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Elsinore
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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.
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Fishing Lake Elsinore
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Elsinore 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: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAL8023100019990208151100 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Riverside County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Elsinore
Where is Lake Elsinore?
- Lake Elsinore is a lake in Riverside County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Elsinore?
- Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 117.5 µg/L.
Is Lake Elsinore safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Elsinore is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for ammonia, biotoxins, oxygen depletion (low DO), pesticides, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Elsinore?
- Lake Elsinore has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Elsinore Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Elsinore?
- Lake Elsinore 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 Lake Elsinore?
- Lake Elsinore has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Launch Pointe Campground, Lake Park RV Resort and Lodge, Lake Elsinore Marina and RV Resort, El Cariso 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 Lake Elsinore across LakeQuality
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in California
Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- California State Water Resources Control Board
CEDEN2 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- SM 4500-P BE
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
- CEDEN-802LELD2E
- CEDEN-802LEE2
- CEDEN-802LEEG1F
- CEDEN-802LEEG1W
- CEDEN-802LEL217
- CEDEN-802LEL218
- CEDEN-802LEL219
- CEDEN-802LEL220
- CEDEN-802LEL221
- CEDEN-802LEL222
- CEDEN-802LEL223
- CEDEN-802LEL224
- CEDEN-802LEL225
- CEDEN-802LEL226
- CEDEN-802LEL227
- CEDEN-802LEL228
- CEDEN-802LEL229
- CEDEN-802LEL230
- CEDEN-802LEL231
- CEDEN-802LEL232
- CEDEN-802LEL233
- CEDEN-802LEL234
- CEDEN-802LEL235
- CEDEN-802LEL236
- CEDEN-802LEL237
- CEDEN-802LEL238
- CEDEN-802LEL239
- CEDEN-802LEL240
- CEDEN-802LEL241
- CEDEN-802LEL242
- CEDEN-802LEL243
- CEDEN-802LEL244
- CEDEN-802LEL245
- CEDEN-802LEL246
- CEDEN-802LEL247
- CEDEN-802LEL249
- CEDEN-802LEL250
- CEDEN-802LEL251
- CEDEN-802LEL253
- CEDEN-802LEL254
- CEDEN-802LELE2A
- CEDEN-802LELLB1
- CEDEN-802LELLB2
- CEDEN-802LELLRD
- CEDEN-802LELLRS
- CEDEN-802LEPEPS
- CEDEN-802LEWLMC
- CEDEN-802LEWLMO
- CEDEN-802PEL058
- CEDEN-802ST0707
- CEDEN-P1-2
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