Lemolo Lake
Douglas County, Oregon419 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Lemolo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lemolo Lake in Douglas County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 419.1 acres.
Lemolo Lake is a 419-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Oregon with an estimated average depth of about 23 feet. 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 2 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Lemolo Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-08-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lemolo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping4 public campgrounds 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. Lemolo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lemolo 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 Lemolo Lake
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Lemolo 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 6.3 µg/L. TSI 49.
| 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) | 6.3µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lemolo Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Lemolo Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Max depth
~23 ft est.
Surface area
419 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Oregon has not published bathymetry for Lemolo Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
175 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
4,137 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Poole CreekPublic
- Lemolo 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 Lemolo Lake
- Poole Creek0.3 km
- Bunker Hill0.7 km
- East Lemolo2.5 km
- Inlet3.1 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 Lemolo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lemolo Lake in Douglas 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 Lemolo Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lemolo 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 Lemolo Lake → · more Oregon lake trips
Follow Lemolo Lake’s readings
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Fishing Lemolo 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
Improving-23.3 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lemolo Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lemolo No 1 (completed 1955), built primarily for hydroelectric on the North Umpqua River; rockfill-type dam, 120 ft tall and 885 ft long.
- Surface area
- 419.1 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,079 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 175 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- PacifiCorp
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00556 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.93 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lemolo 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, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1710030102_02_100182 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Lemolo Lake
Where is Lemolo Lake?
- Lemolo Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lemolo Lake?
- Lemolo Lake in Douglas County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 419.1 acres.
Is Lemolo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lemolo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lemolo Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lemolo Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 23 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 419.1 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lemolo Lake?
- Lemolo Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Poole Creek, Lemolo Lake Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lemolo Lake?
- Lemolo 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 Lemolo Lake?
- Lemolo Lake has 4 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Poole Creek, Bunker Hill, East Lemolo, Inlet. 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 Lemolo Lake across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 12 mi, nearest Lemolo Falls
8.9 mi away · recorded at 117°F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its readings
Oregon's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Crater Lake?
Lemolo Lake is about 26 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
Mesotrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
7 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
OREGONDEQ7 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles