Freeman Lake
Hardin County, Kentucky160 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 34 ft max depth
- Limited data
Freeman Lake in Hardin County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 160.2 acres.
- Max depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Area
- 160 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Freeman Lake’s letter
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Freeman Lake is a 160-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hardin County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2016-10-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Freeman Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 37. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~34 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 160 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Freeman 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.
Fishing Freeman Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Freeman Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Valley Creek Mps 4 (completed 1966), built primarily for water supply on the Freeman Creek; earth-type dam, 44 ft tall and 1,640 ft long.
- Surface area
- 160.2 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,830 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF ELIZABETHTOWN
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00034 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Freeman 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-2056 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Hardin County
Nearby Lakes in Hardin County
Frequently asked questions about Freeman Lake
Where is Freeman Lake?
- Freeman Lake is a lake in Hardin County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Freeman Lake?
- Freeman Lake in Hardin County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 160.2 acres.
Is Freeman Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Freeman Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Freeman Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Freeman Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 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 160.2 acres.
Explore Freeman Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kentucky's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Planning a trip around Mammoth Cave?
Freeman Lake is about 39 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Mammoth Cave →More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Kentucky
Oligotrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX7 samples · 2012–2016
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)