Calamus Reservoir
Garfield County, Nebraska5,123 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
Calamus Reservoir in Garfield County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 124.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5123 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Area
- 5,123 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 124.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 26.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Calamus Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Calamus Reservoir in Garfield County, Nebraska — 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 Calamus Reservoir
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 Calamus Reservoir → · more Nebraska lake trips
Watch Calamus Reservoir’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Calamus Reservoir is a 5,123-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Garfield County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Calamus Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water5,123 acres
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Calamus Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 124.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 26.1 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 124.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 26.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 5,123 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Calamus Reservoir.
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
- Buckshot BayPublic
- Homestead KnollsPublic
- Nunda ShoalsPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Calamus Reservoir
- Homestead Knolls Campground0.7 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Calamus Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 11 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.286 m/yr | 11 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -32.51 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.2 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Calamus Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Virginia Smith Dam (completed 1985), built primarily for irrigation on the Calamus River; earth-type dam, 96 ft tall and 7,295 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,123 ac
- Normal storage
- 127,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 177,623 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,060 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE02287 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Calamus Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-LO2-L0050 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Garfield County
Nearby Lakes in Garfield County
Frequently asked questions about Calamus Reservoir
Where is Calamus Reservoir?
- Calamus Reservoir is a lake in Garfield County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Calamus Reservoir?
- Calamus Reservoir in Garfield County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 124.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5123 acres.
Is Calamus Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Calamus Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Calamus Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Calamus Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 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 5123 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Calamus Reservoir?
- Calamus Reservoir has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buckshot Bay, Homestead Knolls, Nunda Shoals. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Calamus Reservoir?
- Calamus Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Homestead Knolls Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Calamus Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Nebraska
Eutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
149 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX149 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles