Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Lake Tahoe

Douglas County, NevadaView mapDirections

A
Excellent

Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
No reading
No sample
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Declining
5 years of samples
  • Oligotrophic
  • Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
  • #1 of 3 in the county
  • Public access
  • Limited data
See the measurementsDirectionsWhere to stay

Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.2 µg/L.

Type
Oligotrophic
Chlorophyll-a
0.2 µg/L
Trend
↓ Declining
Public access
Yes
Loading map…

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake Tahoe

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada — 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 Lake Tahoe

Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 Lake Tahoe → · more Nevada lake trips

Watch Lake Tahoe’s letter

Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.

Or email

Lake Tahoe is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Douglas County, Nevada. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2017. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Lake Tahoe ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2017-06-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Lake Tahoe is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Boat launch5 documented ramps
  • Camping1 public campground nearby

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Tahoe is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nuisance exotic species, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Get alerts for Lake Tahoe →

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 0.2 µg/L. TSI 14. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No recent samples
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)0.2 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)14Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

Recreation & Access

5
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
1
Campgrounds
  • El Dorado BeachPublic
  • Lakeside MarinaPublic
  • Lake Tahoe - Cave Rock (State Park)Public
  • Lake Tahoe - Zephyr Cove MarinaPublic
  • Lake Tahoe - BijouPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Public campgrounds near Lake Tahoe

  • Nevada Beach Campground3.3 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

Fishing Lake Tahoe

Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Chlorophyll-a↓ Declining+0.01 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Lake Tahoe is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Nuisance exotic speciesNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Turbidity

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NV06-TB-08_00 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Douglas County

Nearby Lakes in Douglas County

CSpooner LakeEutrophic7.2 miView →NRAmbrosetti Pond—View →NRDangberg Reservoir Number Three—View →NRDangberg Reservoir Number Four—View →NRMud Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Lake Tahoe

Where is Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe is a lake in Douglas County, Nevada. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe in Douglas County, Nevada has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.2 µg/L.

Is Lake Tahoe safe to swim in?

The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Tahoe is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nuisance exotic species, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Are there boat ramps on Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include El Dorado Beach, Lakeside Marina, Lake Tahoe - Cave Rock (State Park), Lake Tahoe - Zephyr Cove Marina, among others. Public access is listed as yes.

Are there campgrounds on Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Nevada Beach 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 Tahoe across LakeQuality

Glen Alpine Falls

11.1 mi away · 65 ft

Hot springs near Lake Tahoe

4 thermal springs within 11.7 mi, nearest Walleys Hot Springs

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Nevada Lake Trips

Where to stay at Nevada's top lakes, each with its grade

Oligotrophic Lakes

Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

The State of Nevada's Lakes

Nevada's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More Nevada Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Nevada

Ranked by overall water quality grade

Best swimming lakes in Nevada

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Nevada

Panfish-rich, public access

All Nevada lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade A Lakes in Nevada

Comins Reservoir

White Pine County · Excellent

Oligotrophic Lakes in Nevada

Comins Reservoir

Where this data comes from

16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • California State Water Resources Control BoardCEDEN16 samples · 2013–2017

Analytical methods

  • TERC AGP
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

Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles