Elk City Lake
Montgomery County, Kansas4,440 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 55 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Elk City Lake in Montgomery County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Surface area: 4440 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~55 ft est.
- Area
- 4,440 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 90 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 24 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Elk City Lake
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Elk City Lake is a 4,440-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Montgomery County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 55 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2016. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2016-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Elk City Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water4,440 acres
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Elk City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 90 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~55 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~27 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 4,440 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Elk City 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
- Elk City-South SquawPublic
- Elk City-CourtesyPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Elk City Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.03 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.25 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Elk City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Elk City Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Elk River; earth-type dam, 107 ft tall and 4,840 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,440 ac
- Normal storage
- 46,122 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 850,405 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 634 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Tulsa District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00002 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Elk City Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM025001 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Montgomery County
Nearby Lakes in Montgomery County
Frequently asked questions about Elk City Lake
Where is Elk City Lake?
- Elk City Lake is a lake in Montgomery County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Elk City Lake?
- Elk City Lake in Montgomery County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Surface area: 4440 acres.
Is Elk City Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Elk City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Elk City Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Elk City Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 55 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 4440 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Elk City Lake?
- Elk City Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elk City-South Squaw, Elk City-Courtesy. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elk City Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Kansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX11 samples · 2014–2016
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory