Willow Creek Reservoir
Pierce County, Nebraska715 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.4 µg/L. Surface area: 715 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Area
- 715 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 78.4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Willow Creek Reservoir’s letter
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Why Willow Creek Reservoir has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Willow Creek Reservoir, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDEE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Willow Creek Reservoir is a 715-acre lake in Pierce County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2013-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Willow Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Willow Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Willow Creek Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 78.4 µg/L. TSI 73.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 78.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 715 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Willow Creek Reservoir.
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
- Willow Creek State Recreation Area - SouthPublic
- Willow Creek State Recreation Area - NorthPublic
- Willow Creek State Recreation Area - WestPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Willow Creek Reservoir
- Willow Creek State Recreation Area0.7 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
Fishing Willow Creek Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -4 m/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +122.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Willow Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Willow Creek Dam (completed 1983), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Willow Creek; earth-type dam, 80 ft tall and 2,930 ft long.
- Surface area
- 715 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,838 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 30,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 210 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE02134 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Willow Creek Reservoir 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 NE-EL3-L0010 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Willow Creek Reservoir
Willow Creek Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Pierce County
Frequently asked questions about Willow Creek Reservoir
Where is Willow Creek Reservoir?
- Willow Creek Reservoir is a lake in Pierce County, Nebraska. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Willow Creek Reservoir?
- Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.4 µg/L. Surface area: 715 acres.
Is Willow Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Willow Creek Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Willow Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Willow Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 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 715 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Willow Creek Reservoir?
- Willow Creek Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Willow Creek State Recreation Area - South, Willow Creek State Recreation Area - North, Willow Creek State Recreation Area - West. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Willow Creek Reservoir?
- Willow Creek Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Willow Creek State Recreation Area. 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.
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX10 samples · 2012–2013
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles