Augusta City Lake
Butler County, Kansas181 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 54 ft max depth
- Limited data
Augusta City Lake in Butler County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 180 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.5 µg/L. Surface area: 181 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~54 ft est.
- Area
- 181 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 180 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 48.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Augusta City Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Augusta City Lake in Butler County, Kansas — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Augusta City Lake are listed below.
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Watch Augusta City Lake’s letter
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Augusta City Lake is a 181-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Butler County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 54 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2018. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Butler County, Augusta City Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2018-07-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Augusta City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 180 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 48.5 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 180 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 48.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~54 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 181 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Augusta City Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Augusta City Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.004 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -24.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Augusta City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Augusta Waterworks Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for recreation on the Elm Creek; earth-type dam, 41 ft tall and 1,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 181 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,358 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,432 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- AUGUSTA, CITY OF
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00309 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.22 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Augusta City Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM040001 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Butler County
Nearby Lakes in Butler County
Frequently asked questions about Augusta City Lake
Where is Augusta City Lake?
- Augusta City Lake is a lake in Butler County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Augusta City Lake?
- Augusta City Lake in Butler County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 180 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.5 µg/L. Surface area: 181 acres.
Is Augusta City Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Augusta City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Augusta City Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Augusta City Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 54 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 181 acres.
Explore Augusta City Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Kansas
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX8 samples · 2013–2018
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)