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D
Warren County, Ohio · 2,830 acres

Caesar Creek Lake

Grade DPoor · 3.2 ft clarity

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Eutrophic

Caesar Creek Lake is a 2,830-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Warren County, Ohio. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Warren County, Caesar Creek Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Ohio DNR, last sampled 2021-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Caesar Creek Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)

A printable one-page report card for Caesar Creek Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

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Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 20.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.2 ftF
Phosphorus26 µg/LB
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)20.1 µg/LD
Trophic State Index (TSI)57Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area2,830 acres

Where to stay near Caesar Creek Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Caesar Creek Lake in Warren County, Ohio — 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.

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Fishing Caesar Creek Lake

Water Quality Trend: Declining

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.1 m/yr2
Phosphorus Declining+5 µg/L/yr2
Chlorophyll-a Declining+18.5 µg/L/yr2

Current Conditions

849.04 ft
Water Elevation

Latest reading Jul 6, 2026, 4:45 AM from USGS gauge 03242340. See live data ↗ — readings update every 15–60 minutes; this page refreshes on each build.

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Warren County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Caesar Creek Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Warren County

More records, surveys & data sources

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Caesar Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Caesar Creek Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the CAESAR CREEK; rockfill-type dam, 180 ft tall and 2,650 ft long.

Surface area
2,830 ac
Normal storage
102,000 ac-ft
Max storage
242,200 ac-ft
Drainage area
237 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
USACE - Louisville District

All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Recreation;Water Supply.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID OH00927 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Caesar Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthOther cause

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OH050902020406 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.25 km)

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
241 sq mi
Mean depth (est.)
93.8 ft
Shoreline
24.3 mi
Elevation
850 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Caesar Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

  • Caesar Creek Flea Market
    Wilmington · 3.7 mi away · NPDES OH0072575
    Recent violation
  • Shell Food Mart
    Wilmington · 4.2 mi away · NPDES OH0151633
    Recent violation

Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2021-10-18

Monitoring stations: 1

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