Little Washoe Outfall Lake
Washoe County, Nevada45 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Limited data
Little Washoe Outfall Lake in Washoe County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 820 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
- Area
- 45 acres
- Phosphorus
- 820 µg/L
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Watch Little Washoe Outfall Lake’s letter
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Why Little Washoe Outfall Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Little Washoe Outfall Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDEP and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Little Washoe Outfall Lake is a 45-acre lake in Washoe County, Nevada.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2018-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Little Washoe Outfall Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Little Washoe Outfall Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 820 µg/L. TSI 101.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 820 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 101 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Little Washoe Outfall Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Little Washoe Outfall Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little Washoe Outfall Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Washoe Lake Dam, built primarily for irrigation on the Steamboat Creek; masonry-type dam, 12 ft tall and 30 ft long.
- Surface area
- 45 ac
- Normal storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 83.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WASHOE LK RES & GALENA CK DITCH CO
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV10472 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.02 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Little Washoe Outfall Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NV06-SC-40-C_00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0 km)
Graded lakes near Little Washoe Outfall Lake
Little Washoe Outfall Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Washoe County
Frequently asked questions about Little Washoe Outfall Lake
Where is Little Washoe Outfall Lake?
- Little Washoe Outfall Lake is a lake in Washoe County, Nevada. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Little Washoe Outfall Lake?
- Little Washoe Outfall Lake in Washoe County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 820 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
Is Little Washoe Outfall Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Little Washoe Outfall Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Little Washoe Outfall Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 11.2 mi, nearest Galena Creek Falls
4 thermal springs within 6.7 mi, nearest Bowers Mansion Hot Spring
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX2 samples · 2014–2018
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus by Ascorbic Acid
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