Salton Sea Lake
Salton Sea Lake in Imperial County, California is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
Why Salton Sea Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Salton Sea Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by your state environmental agency and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Salton Sea Lake is a lake in Imperial County, California.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2024-07-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria advisory
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Salton Sea Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Salton Sea Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Salton Sea Lake in Imperial 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 Salton Sea Lake
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Fishing Salton Sea Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Salton Sea Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CAS7280000019990205133504 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Salton Sea Lake
Salton Sea Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Imperial County
Frequently asked questions about Salton Sea Lake
Where is Salton Sea Lake?
- Salton Sea Lake is a lake in Imperial County, California. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Salton Sea Lake?
- Salton Sea Lake in Imperial County, California is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility.
Is Salton Sea Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Salton Sea Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Salton Sea Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS2 samples · 2024
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