Carter Lake
Douglas County, NebraskaView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Carter Lake in Douglas County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 76 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.2 ft
- Chlorophyll-a
- 76 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Carter Lake’s letter
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Why Carter Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Carter Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDEE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Carter Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Nebraska. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2013-05-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Carter Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Carter Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Carter Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 76 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 76 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Recreation & Access
- NebraskaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Carter Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 12 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.118 m/yr | 10 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -10.05 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.87 µg/L/yr | 12 |
EPA Impairment Status
Carter Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-MT1-L0090 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Carter Lake
Carter Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Carter Lake
Where is Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Nebraska. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake in Douglas County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 76 µg/L.
Is Carter Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Carter Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Carter Lake?
- Carter Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nebraska. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Carter Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2013. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX4 samples · 2012–2013
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory