Ross Lake
Whatcom County, WashingtonView mapDirections
Washington Ecology publishes the water-quality measurements for Ross Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Ross Lake in Whatcom County, Washington has water-quality measurements published by Washington Ecology, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 4.5 µg/L.
Ross Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Whatcom County, Washington. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Whatcom County, Ross Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, WA Ecology, last sampled 2023-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Ross Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ross Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Washington State Department of Ecology and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Ross Lake
These are the measurements Washington Ecology publishes for Ross Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 4.5 µg/L. TSI 26.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 4.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 26 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Ross Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Ross Lake
- Campground0.6 km
- Hozomeen1.6 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 Ross Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ross Lake in Whatcom County, Washington — 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 Ross Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Washington’s top lakes →
Follow Ross Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Ross Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.2 µg/L/yr4 years
Nearby Lakes in Whatcom County
Frequently asked questions about Ross Lake
Where is Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake is a lake in Whatcom County, Washington. Its water-quality measurements are published by Washington Ecology and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake in Whatcom County, Washington has water-quality measurements published by Washington Ecology, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 4.5 µg/L.
Is Ross Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Ross Lake?
- Public access to Ross Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Washington's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Campground, Hozomeen. 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.
Explore Ross Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Washington
Other Lakes in Washington
Oligotrophic Lakes in Washington
Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Washington Water Science Center
USGS-WA18 samples · 2019–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- HACH, sensor model 2100 AN, R-On
- YSI Environmental, sensor 6136
- YSI EXO turbidity sensor, FNU
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles