Rye Patch Reservoir
Pershing County, Nevada12,144 acresView mapDirections
NDEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Rye Patch Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Rye Patch Reservoir in Pershing County, Nevada has water-quality measurements published by NDEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 120 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 12144 acres.
Rye Patch Reservoir is a 12,144-acre mesotrophic lake in Pershing County, Nevada. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Pershing County, Rye Patch Reservoir ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2025-06-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 12,000 acres, Rye Patch Reservoir is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Rye Patch Reservoir, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Rye Patch Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water12,144 acres
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. Rye Patch Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), other cause, salinity / chlorides, toxic inorganics. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Rye Patch Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Rye Patch Reservoir
These are the measurements NDEP publishes for Rye Patch 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. Phosphorus 120 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 57.
| 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 | 120µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 57 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Rye Patch Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Rye Patch Reservoir water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Surface area
12,144 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by NDEP
No bathymetric survey has been published for Rye Patch Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Rye Patch State Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Rye Patch Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rye Patch Reservoir in Pershing County, Nevada — 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 Rye Patch Reservoir
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Rye Patch Reservoir → · more Nevada lake trips
Follow Rye Patch Reservoir’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Rye Patch Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2012–2025).
Phosphorus
Stable+0.3 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.54 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rye Patch Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rye Patch Dam (completed 1936), built primarily for irrigation on the Humboldt River; earth-type dam, 78 ft tall and 914 ft long.
- Surface area
- 12,144 ac
- Normal storage
- 194,300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 201,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 13,700 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- PERSHING COUNTY WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV10124 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Rye Patch Reservoir 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 NV04-HR-81_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pershing County
Frequently asked questions about Rye Patch Reservoir
Where is Rye Patch Reservoir?
- Rye Patch Reservoir is a lake in Pershing County, Nevada. Its water-quality measurements are published by NDEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rye Patch Reservoir?
- Rye Patch Reservoir in Pershing County, Nevada has water-quality measurements published by NDEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 120 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 12144 acres.
Is Rye Patch Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rye Patch Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), other cause, salinity / chlorides, toxic inorganics. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Rye Patch Reservoir?
- Rye Patch Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rye Patch State Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Rye Patch Reservoir?
- Rye Patch 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 Nevada's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Rye Patch Reservoir across LakeQuality
More lakes in Nevada
Other Lakes in Nevada
Mesotrophic Lakes in Nevada
Where this data comes from
66 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2012–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX66 samples · 2012–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory