Madison County Lake Quality
Kentucky, 4 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Madison County has 4 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. Madison County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Owsley Fork Reservoir (A); the most-stressed is Nla Lake (D).
Quick Answers for Madison County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Owsley Fork Reservoir — or check the official Kentucky fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Madison County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owsley Fork Reservoir | A | - | 11 µg/L |
| 2 | Nla Lake | D | 4.4 ft | 44000 µg/L |
| 3 | Taylor Fork Lake | D | - | 77.5 µg/L |
| 4 | Lake Reba | D | - | 62.2 µg/L |
Other Counties in Kentucky
See how Madison County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 34 states.
Where to stay near Madison County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.