Los Banos Reservoir
Merced County, California469 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from SWRCB for this lake.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Los Banos Reservoir in Merced County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 469 acres.
Los Banos Reservoir is a 469-acre lake in Merced 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Los Banos Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Los Banos Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Los Banos Reservoir 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 Los Banos Reservoir
These are the measurements SWRCB publishes for Los Banos Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data.
Ask about Los Banos Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
469 acres
Shoreline
9.5 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by SWRCB
No bathymetric survey has been published for Los Banos Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area - Los Banos CreekPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Los Banos Reservoir
- Los Banos Creek Campground0.3 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Los Banos Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Los Banos Reservoir in Merced 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Los Banos Reservoir
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Fishing Los Banos Reservoir
EPA Impairment Status
Los Banos Reservoir 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: Fish consumption, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAL5424200020000209140231 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Merced County
Frequently asked questions about Los Banos Reservoir
Where is Los Banos Reservoir?
- Los Banos Reservoir is a lake in Merced County, California. Its water-quality measurements are published by SWRCB and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Los Banos Reservoir?
- Los Banos Reservoir in Merced County, California has water-quality measurements published by SWRCB, shown here as reported. Surface area: 469 acres.
Is Los Banos Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Los Banos Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Los Banos Reservoir?
- Los Banos Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area - Los Banos Creek. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Los Banos Reservoir?
- Los Banos Reservoir 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 Los Banos Reservoir?
- Los Banos Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Los Banos Creek 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.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Los Banos Reservoir come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
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