
Shelby County Lake Quality
Tennessee, 18 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
There are 18 monitored lakes in Shelby County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. On average, Shelby County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
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 Mckellar Lake (D); the most-stressed is Mckellar Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Shelby County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Mckellar Lake — or check the official Tennessee fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Shelby County
18 lakes · 1 graded, 17 not rated1 graded lake · 17 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DMckellar LakeShelby | D | No recent samples | 76 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRMckellar Lake Habor ChannelShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRMckellar Lake InletShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCypress Creek South LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLakeland LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWalnut Grove LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRound LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRNorth Horn LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRobco LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCoro LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCockleburr LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWolf River LagoonShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSky LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPoplar Tree LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRWillow LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBarnishee BayouShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLyles LakeShelby | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCasper LakeShelby | 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 Tennessee
See how Shelby 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.