Littlewood Lake
Blaine County, Idaho590 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Hydrologic alteration
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Littlewood Lake in Blaine County, Idaho has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.9 µg/L. Surface area: 590 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~40 ft est.
- Area
- 590 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 28 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 13.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Littlewood Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Littlewood Lake in Blaine County, Idaho — 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 Littlewood Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Littlewood Lake
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 Littlewood Lake → · more Idaho lake trips
Watch Littlewood Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Littlewood Lake is a 590-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Blaine County, Idaho with an estimated average depth of about 40 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Blaine County, Littlewood Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEQ, last sampled 2024-07-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Littlewood Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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. Littlewood Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for hydrologic alteration. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.9 µg/L. TSI 50. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 590 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Idaho has not published bathymetry for Littlewood Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
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.
Fishing Littlewood Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.301 m/yr | 11 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.98 µg/L/yr | 13 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7.79 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Littlewood Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Wood River Dam (completed 1939), built primarily for irrigation on the Little Wood River Malad River; earth-type dam, 129 ft tall and 3,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 590 ac
- Normal storage
- 30,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 33,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 273.98 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- LITTLE WOOD RIVER IRRIGATION DISTRICT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ID00041 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.29 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Littlewood Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ID17040221SK012L_0L · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.25 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Blaine County
Nearby Lakes in Blaine County
Frequently asked questions about Littlewood Lake
Where is Littlewood Lake?
- Littlewood Lake is a lake in Blaine County, Idaho. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Littlewood Lake?
- Littlewood Lake in Blaine County, Idaho has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.9 µg/L. Surface area: 590 acres.
Is Littlewood Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Littlewood Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for hydrologic alteration. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Littlewood Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Littlewood Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 40 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 590 acres.
Explore Littlewood Lake across LakeQuality
4 thermal springs within 17.1 mi, nearest Rush Warm Spring
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Idaho's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Idaho's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Idaho Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Idaho
Cassia County · 4.3 ft
Power County · Nutrient-rich
Valley County · 8.2 ft
Valley County · 4.3 ft
Owyhee County · Nutrient-rich
Fremont County · 9.8 ft
Eutrophic Lakes in Idaho
Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Bureau of Reclamation
1119USBR_WQX56 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Zebra/Quagga Mussel APHA 10200G Modified
- Phosphorus by Single Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)