Bear Creek Lake
Kay County, OklahomaView mapDirections
Oklahoma DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Bear Creek Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Bear Creek Lake in Kay County, Oklahoma has water-quality measurements published by Oklahoma DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 697.5 µg/L.
Bear Creek Lake is a lake in Kay County, Oklahoma. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ODEQ, last sampled 2015-10-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bear Creek Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bear Creek Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bear Creek Lake
These are the measurements Oklahoma DEQ publishes for Bear Creek Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 697.5 µg/L. TSI 99.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 698µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 99 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Bear Creek Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Traders BendPublic
- Bear Creek CovePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Bear Creek Lake
- Bear Creek Cove3.4 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bear Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Creek Lake in Kay County, Oklahoma — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Bear Creek Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Bear Creek Lake → · more Oklahoma lake trips
Follow Bear Creek Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Bear Creek Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2014–2015). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Worsening+696.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Kay County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Creek Lake
Where is Bear Creek Lake?
- Bear Creek Lake is a lake in Kay County, Oklahoma. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oklahoma DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bear Creek Lake?
- Bear Creek Lake in Kay County, Oklahoma has water-quality measurements published by Oklahoma DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 697.5 µg/L.
Is Bear Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Creek Lake?
- Bear Creek Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Traders Bend, Bear Creek Cove. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bear Creek Lake?
- Bear Creek Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Oklahoma's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Bear Creek Lake?
- Bear Creek Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Bear Creek Cove. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Bear Creek Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Oklahoma
Other Lakes in Oklahoma
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Oklahoma
Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2015. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kaw Nation, Oklahoma (Tribal)
KAWNATON_WQX13 samples · 2014–2015
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus, Total Ascorbic Acid Method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles