Spooner Lake
Douglas County, Nevada100 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #3 of 3 in the county
- Limited data
Spooner Lake in Douglas County, Nevada has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.6 µg/L. Surface area: 100 acres.
- Area
- 100 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 40 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 40.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Spooner Lake’s letter
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Spooner Lake is a 100-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Nevada. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Spooner Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2025-06-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Spooner Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity, temperature, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 40.6 µg/L. TSI 62. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 40.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 100 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Spooner Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Spooner Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.54 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.55 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Spooner Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Spooner Lake Dam, built primarily for recreation on the North Canyon Creek; earth-type dam, 37 ft tall and 420 ft long.
- Surface area
- 100 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,580 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,580 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- NEVADA DCNR PARKS
All listed purposes: Recreation;Irrigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV00198 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Spooner Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NV06-TB-25_00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Spooner Lake
Where is Spooner Lake?
- Spooner Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Nevada. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Spooner Lake?
- Spooner Lake in Douglas County, Nevada has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.6 µg/L. Surface area: 100 acres.
Is Spooner Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Spooner Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity, temperature, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Spooner Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 18.1 mi, nearest Galena Creek Falls
4 thermal springs within 9.9 mi, nearest Hobo Hot Springs
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nevada's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX9 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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