Is Lower Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Lower Lake in Nevada is clear to swim. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.3 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Lower Lake is a lake in Nevada covering about 15.7 sq mi, the 5th-largest of the 47 lakes SwimZone monitors in Nevada. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Larger, warmer waters like this can hold a bloom for weeks once nutrients and calm weather line up.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Lower Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 2 of them, most recently in July 2023. Blooms here have been occasional rather than annual. Its highest recorded reading was 831,195 cells/mL in July 2023.

Is it safe to swim in Lower Lake right now?

Lower Lake is clear to swim today. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Lower Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

No blue-green algae bloom is detectable at Lower Lake as of July 19, 2026 (below the satellite's roughly 10,000 cells/mL detection limit). Cyanobacteria can still appear within hours in warm, calm, nutrient-rich water, so look before you swim.

Can dogs swim in Lower Lake?

No bloom is detected at Lower Lake today, but dogs are much more vulnerable to blue-green algae than people, and blooms can form within hours. Always keep dogs away from water that looks green, scummy, or discolored, and rinse them off after swimming.

How often does Lower Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Lower Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 2 of them, most recently in July 2023. Blooms here have been occasional rather than annual. Its highest recorded reading was 831,195 cells/mL in July 2023.

How many Nevada lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 13 Nevada waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 1 more warrant caution, out of 50 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Lower Lake's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Lower Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.