Ford County Lake
Ford County, KansasView 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)
- Public access
- Limited data
Ford County Lake in Ford County, Kansas is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.2 ft
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.6 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Ford County Lake
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Watch Ford County Lake’s letter
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Why Ford 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 Ford County 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 KDHE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Ford County Lake is a lake in Ford County, Kansas. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2016-06-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Ford County 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. Ford County Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Ford County Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 5.6 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Recreation & Access
- Ford County LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Ford County Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ford County Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ford County Lake, built primarily for recreation on the Elm Creek, 39 ft tall and 950 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 486 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 925 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- FORD COUNTY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS02542 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Ford County 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-LM070801 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.19 km)
Graded lakes near Ford County Lake
Ford County Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Ford County
Frequently asked questions about Ford County Lake
Where is Ford County Lake?
- Ford County Lake is a lake in Ford County, Kansas. 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 Ford County Lake?
- Ford County Lake in Ford County, Kansas is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
Is Ford County Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Ford County Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Ford County Lake?
- Ford County Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ford County Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ford County Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX3 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory