Where is Big Alkali Lake?

Big Alkali Lake is a lake in Cherry County, Nebraska. Its water-quality measurements are published by Nebraska DEE and shown on this page as reported.

Are there boat ramps on Big Alkali Lake?

Big Alkali Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Alkali Wildlife Management Area. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Big Alkali Lake?

Big Alkali Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Nebraska's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Big Alkali Lake

Cherry County, Nebraska813 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Nebraska DEE for this lake.

Area

813 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

5.6 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Algal growth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Big Alkali Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska has water-quality measurements published by Nebraska DEE, shown here as reported. Surface area: 813 acres.

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Big Alkali Lake is a 813-acre lake in Cherry County, Nebraska. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Big Alkali Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Alkali Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Big Alkali Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Big Alkali Lake

These are the measurements Nebraska DEE publishes for Big Alkali 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. TSI undefined.

Ask about Big Alkali Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

813 acres

Shoreline

5.6 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Nebraska DEE

No bathymetric survey has been published for Big Alkali Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Big Alkali Wildlife Management AreaPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

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Stays near Big Alkali Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Alkali Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska — 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 Big Alkali Lake

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Fishing Big Alkali Lake

→ Big Alkali Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Big Alkali Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Salinity / chlorides

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Other.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-NI3-L0220 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Cherry County

Spencer Lake2.1 miView →Bakers Lake2.2 miView →Smith Lake2.3 miView →Trout Lake3.4 miView →Ell Lake3.6 miView →Clear Lake5 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Big Alkali Lake

Where is Big Alkali Lake?: Big Alkali Lake is a lake in Cherry County, Nebraska. Its water-quality measurements are published by Nebraska DEE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Alkali Lake?: Big Alkali Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska has water-quality measurements published by Nebraska DEE, shown here as reported. Surface area: 813 acres.
Is Big Alkali Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Alkali Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Big Alkali Lake?: Big Alkali Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Alkali Wildlife Management Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Alkali Lake?: Big Alkali Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Nebraska's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.