Doe Run Lake
Kenton County, Kentucky51 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
Doe Run Lake in Kenton County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 50.7 acres.
- Max depth
- ~31 ft est.
- Area
- 51 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Doe Run Lake’s letter
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Doe Run Lake is a 51-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Kenton County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2022. 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, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Doe Run Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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. Doe Run Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~22 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 51 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Doe Run Lake.
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
- Doe RunPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Doe Run Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.24 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Doe Run Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Banklick Creek FRS No 3 (completed 1980), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Banklick Creek; earth-type dam, 112 ft tall and 950 ft long.
- Surface area
- 50.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,214 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,492 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 9.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- KENTON COUNTY FISCAL COURT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY01010 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.26 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Doe Run 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-2694 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Kenton County
Nearby Lakes in Kenton County
Frequently asked questions about Doe Run Lake
Where is Doe Run Lake?
- Doe Run Lake is a lake in Kenton County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Doe Run Lake?
- Doe Run Lake in Kenton County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 50.7 acres.
Is Doe Run Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Doe Run Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Doe Run Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Doe Run Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 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 50.7 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Doe Run Lake?
- Doe Run Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Doe Run. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Doe Run Lake across LakeQuality
23.6 mi away · cable-pulled, no boat wake
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kentucky's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2014–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX16 samples · 2014–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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