Wickiup Reservoir
Deschutes County, Oregon11,330 acresView mapDirections
Oregon DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Wickiup Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wickiup Reservoir in Deschutes County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 11330 acres.
Wickiup Reservoir is a 11,330-acre mesotrophic lake in Deschutes County, Oregon. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Deschutes County, Wickiup Reservoir ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Oregon DEQ, last sampled 2025-10-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 11,000 acres, Wickiup Reservoir is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Wickiup Reservoir on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Wickiup Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water11,330 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Wickiup Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wickiup 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 Wickiup Reservoir
These are the measurements Oregon DEQ publishes for Wickiup Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wickiup Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
11,330 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Oregon DEQ
No bathymetric survey has been published for Wickiup Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Reservoir CampgroundPublic
- Gull Point CampgroundPublic
- North WickiupPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Wickiup Reservoir
- Reservoir3.1 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wickiup Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wickiup Reservoir in Deschutes 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Wickiup 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 Wickiup Reservoir → · more Oregon lake trips
Follow Wickiup Reservoir’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Wickiup Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wickiup Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wickiup Dam (completed 1949), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Deschutes River; earth-type dam, 100 ft tall and 13,860 ft long.
- Surface area
- 11,330 ac
- Normal storage
- 200,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 202,170 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 272.23 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OR00276 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wickiup 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: Drinking water, Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OR_LK_1707030102_05_100062 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Deschutes County
Frequently asked questions about Wickiup Reservoir
Where is Wickiup Reservoir?
- Wickiup Reservoir is a lake in Deschutes County, Oregon. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oregon DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wickiup Reservoir?
- Wickiup Reservoir in Deschutes County, Oregon has water-quality measurements published by Oregon DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 11330 acres.
Is Wickiup Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wickiup Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, temperature. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Wickiup Reservoir?
- Wickiup Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Reservoir Campground, Gull Point Campground, North Wickiup. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Wickiup Reservoir?
- Wickiup Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings 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.
Are there campgrounds on Wickiup Reservoir?
- Wickiup Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Reservoir. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Wickiup Reservoir across LakeQuality
More lakes in Oregon
Other Lakes in Oregon
Mesotrophic Lakes in Oregon
Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Department of Environmental Quality - State of Oregon
OREGONDEQ28 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- 2012 National Lakes Assessment Field Operations Manual
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Standard Test Method for Determination of Turbidity Above 1 Turbidity Unit (TU) in Static Mode
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles