Butl Lake
Marion County, AlabamaView mapDirections
ADEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Butl Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Butl Lake in Marion County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L.
Butl Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Marion County, Alabama.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2022-10-12. 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Butl 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 Butl Lake
These are the measurements ADEM publishes for Butl 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 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.7 µg/L. TSI 57.
| 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 | 37µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 14.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Butl Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Butl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Butl Lake in Marion 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 Butl Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Butl 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Alabama’s top lakes →
Follow Butl Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Butl Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Butl Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buttahatchee Dam (completed 1960), built primarily for recreation on the Buttahatchee River; other-type dam, 50 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 114 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 114 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- STATE OF ALA HWY DEPT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL00139 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.08 km)
Nearby Lakes in Marion County
Frequently asked questions about Butl Lake
Where is Butl Lake?
- Butl Lake is a lake in Marion County, Alabama. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Butl Lake?
- Butl Lake in Marion County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L.
Is Butl Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Butl Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 18.2 mi, nearest Caney Creek Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Alabama's top lakes, each with its readings
Alabama's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Alabama
Other Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC21 samples · 2022
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.