Lincoln County Lake Quality
Nebraska, 6 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Lincoln County has 6 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. On average, Lincoln County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
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. Hershey Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Lincoln County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Hershey Lake — or check the official Nebraska fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Lincoln County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hershey Lake | B | 13.6 ft | 51.4 µg/L |
| 2 | Lake Maloney | C | 2.1 ft | 47.8 µg/L |
| 3 | Nla Lake | D | 2.1 ft | 59000 µg/L |
| 4 | Jeffrey Reservoir | D | 1.5 ft | - |
| 5 | Nla Lake | D | 2.7 ft | 120.1 µg/L |
| 6 | Nla Lake | F | 0.5 ft | 210687.9 µg/L |
Other Counties in Nebraska
See how Lincoln 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 Lincoln County
Top-rated places to stay near Lincoln County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.