Wallowa Lake
Wallowa County, Oregon1,530 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 96 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wallowa Lake in Wallowa County, Oregon has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1530 acres.
- Max depth
- ~96 ft est.
- Area
- 1,530 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 0.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Wallowa Lake’s letter
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Wallowa Lake is a 1,530-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Wallowa County, Oregon with an estimated average depth of about 96 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Wallowa Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water1,530 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wallowa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 0.5 µg/L. TSI 24. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 0.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 24 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~96 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,530 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Oregon has not published bathymetry for Wallowa Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Wallowa Lake County Park (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Wallowa Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wallowa Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wallowa Lake (completed 1931), built primarily for irrigation on the Wallowa River; concrete-type dam, 40 ft tall and 190 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,530 ac
- Normal storage
- 49,257 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 49,257 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 53 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Wallowa Lake Irrigation District
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00465 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wallowa Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1706010501_02_100618 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Wallowa County
Nearby Lakes in Wallowa County
Frequently asked questions about Wallowa Lake
Where is Wallowa Lake?
- Wallowa Lake is a lake in Wallowa County, Oregon. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wallowa Lake?
- Wallowa Lake in Wallowa County, Oregon has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1530 acres.
Is Wallowa Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wallowa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal), temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Wallowa Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wallowa Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 96 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1530 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Wallowa Lake?
- Wallowa Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wallowa Lake County Park (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wallowa Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Oregon's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory