Sheep Creek Lake
Elko County, Nevada100 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #5 of 9 in the county
Sheep Creek Lake in Elko County, Nevada has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L. Surface area: 100 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Area
- 100 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 83 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 19.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Sheep Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sheep Creek Lake in Elko 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Sheep Creek Lake are listed below.
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Watch Sheep Creek Lake’s letter
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Sheep Creek Lake is a 100-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Elko County, Nevada. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Elko County, Sheep Creek Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2023-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.5 µg/L. TSI 59. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 83 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 100 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sheep Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Sheep Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 10 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.71 µg/L/yr | 10 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.92 µg/L/yr | 9 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sheep Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sheep Creek, built primarily for recreation on the Sheep Creek; earth-type dam, 24 ft tall and 2,103 ft long.
- Surface area
- 100 ac
- Normal storage
- 9,702 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 38 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- BIA
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV10135 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 9 lakes in Elko County
Nearby Lakes in Elko County
Frequently asked questions about Sheep Creek Lake
Where is Sheep Creek Lake?
- Sheep Creek Lake is a lake in Elko County, Nevada. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sheep Creek Lake?
- Sheep Creek Lake in Elko County, Nevada has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L. Surface area: 100 acres.
Is Sheep Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Sheep Creek Lake across LakeQuality
More Nevada Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Nevada
Eutrophic Lakes in Nevada
Where this data comes from
124 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2012–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Bureau of Reclamation
1119USBR_WQX123 samples · 2012–2023 - Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada (Tribal)
SHOPAITR_WQX1 sample · 2013
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Single Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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.