Caneyville Reservoir
Grayson County, Kentucky77 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 32 ft max depth
- Limited data
Caneyville Reservoir in Grayson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 57.5 µg/L. Surface area: 77 acres.
- Max depth
- ~32 ft est.
- Area
- 77 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 57.5 µg/L
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Watch Caneyville Reservoir’s letter
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Caneyville Reservoir is a 77-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Grayson County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 32 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2019.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2019-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Caneyville Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 57.5 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 57.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~32 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Caneyville 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.
Fishing Caneyville Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Caneyville Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Caney Creek Mps 2 (completed 1965), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Caney Creek; earth-type dam, 34 ft tall and 672 ft long.
- Surface area
- 77 ac
- Normal storage
- 578 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,167 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.78 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF CANEYVILLE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00206 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.34 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Caneyville Reservoir 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-426 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Grayson County
Nearby Lakes in Grayson County
Frequently asked questions about Caneyville Reservoir
Where is Caneyville Reservoir?
- Caneyville Reservoir is a lake in Grayson County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Caneyville Reservoir?
- Caneyville Reservoir in Grayson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 57.5 µg/L. Surface area: 77 acres.
Is Caneyville Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Caneyville Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Caneyville Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Caneyville Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 32 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 77 acres.
Explore Caneyville Reservoir across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Mammoth Cave?
Caneyville Reservoir is about 25 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Mammoth Cave →More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX8 samples · 2019
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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)