Payne County Lake Quality
Oklahoma, 2 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Only 2 lakes in Payne County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 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 Nla Lake (C); the most-stressed is Nla Lake (D).
Quick Answers for Payne County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Nla Lake — or check the official Oklahoma fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Payne County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nla Lake | C | 3 ft | 49.2 µg/L |
| 2 | Nla Lake | D | 0.7 ft | 59588.2 µg/L |
Other Counties in Oklahoma
See how Payne 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 Payne County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.