Cherry County Lake Quality
Nebraska, 7 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Cherry County has 7 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. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 4 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
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 Cottonwood Lake (C); the most-stressed is Nla Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Cherry County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Cottonwood Lake — or check the official Nebraska fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Cherry County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottonwood Lake | C | 6.7 ft | 53.4 µg/L |
| 2 | Nla Lake | D | 4.6 ft | 64030.9 µg/L |
| 3 | Mistake Lake | D | - | 81 µg/L |
| 4 | Nla Lake | F | 0.5 ft | 709.3 µg/L |
| 5 | Nla Lake | F | 0.5 ft | 578254 µg/L |
| 6 | Merritt Reservoir | F | 2 ft | 147 µg/L |
| 7 | Pelican Lake | F | 1.2 ft | 210 µg/L |
Other Counties in Nebraska
See how Cherry 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 Cherry County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.