Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Cowley County, KansasView mapDirections
KDHE publishes the water-quality measurements for Cowley Co State Fishing Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Public access
- Limited data
Cowley Co State Fishing Lake in Cowley County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L.
Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is a lake in Cowley County, Kansas. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2014-08-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
These are the measurements KDHE publishes for Cowley Co State Fishing Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.5 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 19.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cowley Co State Fishing Lake in Cowley County, Kansas — 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 Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Kansas’s top lakes →
Follow Cowley Co State Fishing Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2012–2017). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-6.2 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.12 µg/L/yr3 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the (completed 1953) on the Panther Creek, 47 ft tall and 880 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 1,380 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,070 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- KANSAS DEPT OF WILDLIFE PARKS & TOURISM
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00868 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.13 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Drinking water, Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM013401 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cowley County
Frequently asked questions about Cowley Co State Fishing Lake
Where is Cowley Co State Fishing Lake?
- Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is a lake in Cowley County, Kansas. Its water-quality measurements are published by KDHE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cowley Co State Fishing Lake?
- Cowley Co State Fishing Lake in Cowley County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.5 µg/L.
Is Cowley Co State Fishing Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Cowley Co State Fishing Lake?
- Public access to Cowley Co State Fishing Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Kansas's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Cowley Co State Fishing Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Kansas
Other Lakes in Kansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX5 samples · 2014
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database