Rye Patch Reservoir, reservoir in Pershing County, Nevada, US

Rye Patch Reservoir is a reservoir on the Humboldt River in Pershing County, Nevada, about 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Lovelock. The Rye Patch Dam, built in 1935–1936 and raised three feet (1 m) in 1975–1976, impounds the river west of the old Rye Patch railroad station. The reservoir also includes the Pitt–Taylor Reservoirs, two off-stream storage basins built in 1913.

The Rye Patch settlement began in the early 1860s and was named for the wild dry grass that grew there; a Central Pacific Railroad station opened in 1869 and a post office ran from 1872 to 1916. In 1933 the Bureau of Reclamation decided to dam the Humboldt, and the dam was built west of the station between 1935 and 1936 as a New Deal project funded by the Public Works Administration and staffed by Civilian Conservation Corps workers. It was raised three feet in 1975–1976 to add storage capacity.

Rye Patch was named for the wild dry grass that grew in the area, and the settlement of that name began in the early 1860s with a school and boarding house. The Central Pacific Railroad reached the spot in 1869, opening a station, and a post office ran from June 1872 to November 1916.

The reservoir lies on the Humboldt River about 22 miles northeast of Lovelock, reached from Interstate 80; the dam stands west of the old Rye Patch railroad station. Water levels vary greatly, and in dry years the lake can shrink sharply, so check conditions before launching a boat. The Pitt–Taylor Reservoirs, two off-stream basins built in 1913, are filled only in high-flow years.

The water level fluctuates significantly with the seasons and rainfall, managed by the local water conservation district. Visitors may notice major changes in water surface area and shoreline conditions depending on when they arrive during the year.