Buckhorn Lake
Perry County, Kentucky1,230 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Buckhorn Lake in Perry County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 1230 acres.
- Area
- 1,230 acres
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Buckhorn Lake
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Watch Buckhorn Lake’s letter
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Why Buckhorn Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Buckhorn Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by KY DOW and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Buckhorn Lake is a 1,230-acre lake in Perry County, Kentucky. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2013-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Buckhorn Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water1,230 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Buckhorn Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Buckhorn Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,230 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Buckhorn Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Buckhorn Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Buckhorn Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buckhorn Dam (completed 1960), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Middlefork Kentucky River; rockfill-type dam, 160 ft tall and 1,020 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,230 ac
- Normal storage
- 32,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 167,900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 408 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Louisville District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY03027 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Buckhorn Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KY-2132 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Buckhorn Lake
Buckhorn Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Perry County
Frequently asked questions about Buckhorn Lake
Where is Buckhorn Lake?
- Buckhorn Lake is a lake in Perry County, Kentucky. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Buckhorn Lake?
- Buckhorn Lake in Perry County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 1230 acres.
Is Buckhorn Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Buckhorn Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Buckhorn Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX6 samples · 2013
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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