Willow Creek Reservoir West
Elko County, Nevada480 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Metals (other than mercury)
- Limited data
Willow Creek Reservoir West in Elko County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 455 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Surface area: 480 acres.
- Area
- 480 acres
- Phosphorus
- 455 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Willow Creek Reservoir West’s letter
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Why Willow Creek Reservoir West 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 West, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not water clarity.
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 NDEP and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Willow Creek Reservoir West is a 480-acre lake in Elko County, Nevada. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEP, last sampled 2014-06-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Willow Creek Reservoir West is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Willow Creek Reservoir West
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 455 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.3 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 455 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 480 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Willow Creek Reservoir West, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Willow Creek Reservoir West
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.894 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -106.79 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.99 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Willow Creek Reservoir West is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Willow Creek Dam (completed 1986), built primarily for irrigation on the Willow Creek; rockfill-type dam, 58 ft tall and 493 ft long.
- Surface area
- 480 ac
- Normal storage
- 5,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 113 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- NEVADA GOLD MINES LLC
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NV00054 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.19 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Willow Creek Reservoir West 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 NV04-HR-35-B_00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.48 km)
Graded lakes near Willow Creek Reservoir West
Willow Creek Reservoir West has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Elko County
Frequently asked questions about Willow Creek Reservoir West
Where is Willow Creek Reservoir West?
- Willow Creek Reservoir West is a lake in Elko County, Nevada. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Willow Creek Reservoir West?
- Willow Creek Reservoir West in Elko County, Nevada is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 455 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Surface area: 480 acres.
Is Willow Creek Reservoir West safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Willow Creek Reservoir West is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), temperature, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
21NEV1_WQX13 samples · 2012–2014
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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