Unity Reservoir
Baker County, Oregon960 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Unity Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Habitat alterations
- Public access
- Limited data
Unity Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.8 µg/L. Surface area: 960 acres.
Unity Reservoir is a 960-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Baker County, Oregon. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Baker County, Unity Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Unity Reservoir covers about 960 acres in Baker County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Unity Reservoir on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Unity Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Unity Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for habitat alterations, metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Unity Reservoir is safe to swim in today is a call for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Unity Reservoir
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Unity 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. Chlorophyll-a 17.8 µg/L. TSI 59.
| 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 | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 17.8µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Unity Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
960 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Unity Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Unity Lake State Recreation SitePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Unity Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Unity Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Unity Reservoir are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Unity 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 Unity Reservoir → · more Oregon lake trips
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Fishing Unity Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7.55 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.6 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Unity Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Unity Dam (completed 1938), built primarily for irrigation on the Burnt River; earth-type dam, 82 ft tall and 694 ft long.
- Surface area
- 960 ac
- Normal storage
- 24,970 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 25,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 311.47 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00593 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Unity 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: Aquatic life.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1705020201_05_100584 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Baker County
Frequently asked questions about Unity Reservoir
Where is Unity Reservoir?
- Unity Reservoir is a lake in Baker County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Unity Reservoir?
- Unity Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.8 µg/L. Surface area: 960 acres.
Is Unity Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Unity Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for habitat alterations, metals (other than mercury). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Unity Reservoir?
- Unity Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Unity Lake State Recreation Site. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Unity Reservoir?
- Unity 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 Oregon's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Unity Reservoir across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Department of Environmental Quality - State of Oregon
OREGONDEQ8 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory