County Lake
Metcalfe County, Kentucky22 acresView 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 · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Limited data
County Lake in Metcalfe County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 51.6 µg/L. Surface area: 21.7 acres.
- Area
- 22 acres
- Phosphorus
- 51.6 µg/L
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Stays near County Lake
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Watch County Lake’s letter
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Why County 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 County Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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 KY DOW and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
County Lake is a 22-acre lake in Metcalfe County, Kentucky.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2016-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. County Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for County Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 51.6 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 51.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for County Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing County Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
County Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Metcalfe Cnty Lake Dam (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the Sulfur Creek; earth-type dam, 37 ft tall and 730 ft long.
- Surface area
- 21.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 233 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 585 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.78 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- METCALFE COUNTY FISCAL COURT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00273 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.06 km)
EPA Impairment Status
County Lake 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-552 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near County Lake
County Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Metcalfe County
Frequently asked questions about County Lake
Where is County Lake?
- County Lake is a lake in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. 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 County Lake?
- County Lake in Metcalfe County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 51.6 µg/L. Surface area: 21.7 acres.
Is County Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. County Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore County Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX6 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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