Odell Lake
Klamath County, OregonView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Odell Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
Odell Lake in Klamath County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 22.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
Odell Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Klamath County, Oregon. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Klamath County, Odell Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Odell Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water22.3 ft of visibility
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. Odell Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Odell 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 Odell Lake
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Odell Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 22.3 ft down. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.1 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 22.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Odell Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
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Fishing Odell Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.14 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.12 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Odell 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, Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1707030102_05_100063 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Klamath County
Frequently asked questions about Odell Lake
Where is Odell Lake?
- Odell Lake is a lake in Klamath County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Odell Lake?
- Odell Lake in Klamath County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 22.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
Is Odell Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Odell Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Odell Lake across LakeQuality
7.8 mi away · 286 ft
3 thermal springs within 23.2 mi, nearest McCredie Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
101 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Department of Environmental Quality - State of Oregon
OREGONDEQ101 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- 2012 National Lakes Assessment Field Operations Manual
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Standard Test Method for Determination of Turbidity Above 1 Turbidity Unit (TU) in Static Mode
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