Big Hill Lake
Labette County, Kansas1,192 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 64 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Hill Lake in Labette County, Kansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1192 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~64 ft est.
- Area
- 1,192 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 18.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Hill Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Hill Lake in Labette 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Hill Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 Big Hill Lake → · more Kansas lake trips
Watch Big Hill Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Big Hill Lake is a 1,192-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Labette County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 64 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2016. Overall water quality is improving 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, KDHE, last sampled 2016-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Hill Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,192 acres
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Big Hill 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: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 18.5 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~64 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~39 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,192 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Big Hill 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.
Recreation & Access
- Mound ValleyPublic
- Timber HillPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Big Hill Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Big Hill Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Big Hill Dam (completed 1981), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Big Hill Ck; earth-type dam, 83 ft tall and 3,902 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,192 ac
- Normal storage
- 26,969 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 39,540 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 37 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Tulsa District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00049 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Big Hill 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-LM031001 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Labette County
Nearby Lakes in Labette County
Frequently asked questions about Big Hill Lake
Where is Big Hill Lake?
- Big Hill Lake is a lake in Labette County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Big Hill Lake?
- Big Hill Lake in Labette County, Kansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 1192 acres.
Is Big Hill Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Big Hill 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 Big Hill Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Big Hill Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 64 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 1192 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Big Hill Lake?
- Big Hill Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mound Valley, Timber Hill. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Hill Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Kansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX11 samples · 2014–2016
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory