Berw Lake
Winston County, AlabamaView mapDirections
ADEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Berw Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Limited data
Berw Lake in Winston County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L.
Berw Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Winston County, Alabama. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Winston County, Berw Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2023-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Berw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Berw Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Berw Lake
These are the measurements ADEM publishes for Berw Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.3 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.3µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Stays near Berw Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Berw Lake in Winston County, Alabama — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Berw Lake are listed below.
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Fishing Berw Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Berw Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AL06030006-0102-102 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Winston County
Frequently asked questions about Berw Lake
Where is Berw Lake?
- Berw Lake is a lake in Winston County, Alabama. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Berw Lake?
- Berw Lake in Winston County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L.
Is Berw Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Berw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Berw Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 11.7 mi, nearest Kinlock Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC40 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database