Lost Creek Lake
Jackson County, Oregon3,430 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 7 in the county
- 102 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lost Creek Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Surface area: 3430 acres.
- Max depth
- ~102 ft est.
- Area
- 3,430 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lost Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lost Creek Lake in Jackson 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lost Creek 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 Lost Creek Lake → · more Oregon lake trips
Watch Lost Creek Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lost Creek Lake is a 3,430-acre mesotrophic lake in Jackson County, Oregon with an estimated average depth of about 102 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Lost Creek Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lost Creek Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water3,430 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lost Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 2.6 µg/L. TSI 40. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~102 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 3,430 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Oregon has not published bathymetry for Lost Creek 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.
Recreation & Access
- Casey State ParkPublic
- McGregor ParkPublic
- Joseph Stewart State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lost Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lost Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the William L. Jess Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Rogue River; rockfill-type dam, 345 ft tall and 3,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,430 ac
- Normal storage
- 465,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 500,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 674 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Portland District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Irrigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00612 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lost Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1710030703_02_100244 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 7 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Lost Creek Lake
Where is Lost Creek Lake?
- Lost Creek Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Oregon. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lost Creek Lake?
- Lost Creek Lake in Jackson County, Oregon has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Surface area: 3430 acres.
Is Lost Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lost Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lost Creek Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lost Creek Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 102 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 3430 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lost Creek Lake?
- Lost Creek Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Casey State Park, McGregor Park, Joseph Stewart State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lost Creek Lake across LakeQuality
8.2 mi away · 173 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Oregon's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Crater Lake?
Lost Creek Lake is about 31 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 Oregon Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Oregon
Mesotrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
8 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
OREGONDEQ8 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory