Bwcd Lake
DeKalb County, Alabama68 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
Bwcd Lake in DeKalb County, Alabama has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 68 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Area
- 68 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 39 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 18.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Bwcd Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bwcd Lake in DeKalb 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bwcd Lake are listed below.
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Bwcd Lake is a 68-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in DeKalb County, Alabama with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in DeKalb County, Bwcd Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2025-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 18.5 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 39 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 68 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Alabama has not published bathymetry for Bwcd 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.
Fishing Bwcd Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.063 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.83 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.63 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bwcd Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fort Payne Dam #2, built primarily for recreation on the Big Wills Creek, 8 ft tall and 495 ft long.
- Surface area
- 68 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 410 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 17.39 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF FORT PAYNE ALA.
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL83481 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.09 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in DeKalb County
Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Frequently asked questions about Bwcd Lake
Where is Bwcd Lake?
- Bwcd Lake is a lake in DeKalb County, Alabama. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bwcd Lake?
- Bwcd Lake in DeKalb County, Alabama has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Surface area: 68 acres.
Is Bwcd Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bwcd Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Bwcd Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 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 68 acres.
Explore Bwcd Lake across LakeQuality
3 documented falls within 11.4 mi, nearest DeSoto Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
91 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC91 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)