
Garfield County Lake Quality
Nebraska, 4 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Garfield County holds 4 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Calamus Reservoir (B) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Garfield County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Calamus Reservoir — or check the official Nebraska fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Garfield County
4 lakes · 1 graded, 3 not rated1 graded lake · 3 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BCalamus ReservoirGarfield | B | 3.6 ft | 124.5 µg/L | 26.1 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRCarson LakeGarfield | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRush LakeGarfield | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRClark LakeGarfield | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in Nebraska
See how Garfield County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.