Lahontan Reservoir is situated in west central Nevada, approximately 50 miles southeast of the Reno/Sparks area, spanning both Churchill and Lyon counties. Created in 1915 with the construction of Lahontan Dam, the reservoir stores water from the Carson River and Truckee River as part of the Newlands Irrigation Project. At maximum storage, the reservoir covers approximately 10,600 surface acres with nearly 65 miles of shoreline, stretches 17 miles in length, and reaches a maximum width of 2.5 miles with depths up to 85 feet near the dam. The landscape features sandy beaches, rock outcroppings, flooded woody debris, a flooded river channel, and various islands. Water quality is generally good, although the upper basin experiences constant turbidity and dense algae blooms typically occur during late summer.