Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Mercer County, Ohio · Water Quality Report Card

Grand Lake St Marys

F
Grade FVery Poor
Limited DataHypereutrophic

Grand Lake St Marys in Mercer County, Ohio has a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Phosphorus: 350 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 120.5 µg/L.

Mean depth
~12 ft est.
Type
Hypereutrophic

Grand Lake St Marys is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Mercer County, Ohio with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Mercer County, Grand Lake St Marys ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Ohio EPA, last sampled 2022-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Watch Grand Lake St Marys water quality

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Fort Wayne

Water Quality Grade: F (Very Poor)

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 350 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 120.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 83.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No data
Phosphorus350 µg/LPoor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)120.5 µg/LPoor
Trophic State Index (TSI)83Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Average Depth~12 ft est.

Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Ohio has not published bathymetry for Grand Lake St Marys.

Where to stay near Grand Lake St Marys

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Grand Lake St Marys in Mercer County, Ohio — 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 Grand Lake St Marys

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 trip to Grand Lake St Marys?

Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Grand Lake St Marys — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Ohio’s top lakes →

Fishing Grand Lake St Marys

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Mercer County

Nearby Lakes in Mercer County

More records, surveys & data sources

EPA Impairment Status

Grand Lake St Marys is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthHabitat alterationsNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)PCBs

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit OH051201010204 · Official waterbody report

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
90 sq mi
Surface area
12,293 acres
Mean depth (modeled estimate)
~12 ft est.
Shoreline
28.3 mi
Elevation
866 ft

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.

Where this data comes from

90 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Division of Surface water (Ohio)21OHIO_WQX90 samples · 2022

Analytical methods

  • Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
  • 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
  • 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)

Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion

Most recent sample: 2022-09-21

Monitoring stations: 3

Where to stay near Grand Lake St Marys →