Grove Lake
Antelope County, Nebraska54 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Grove Lake in Antelope County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.8 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~22 ft est.
- Area
- 54 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 91.3 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 84.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Grove Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Grove Lake in Antelope County, Nebraska — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Grove Lake are listed below.
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Watch Grove Lake’s letter
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Grove Lake is a 54-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Antelope County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 22 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Overall water quality 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, NDEE, last sampled 2016-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Grove Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Grove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 91.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 84.8 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 91.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 84.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~22 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 54 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Grove 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
- North RampPublic
- Grove Lake Wildlife Management Area SouthPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Grove Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -43 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Grove Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Grove Lake Dam (completed 1953), built primarily for recreation on the E Br Verdigre Creek; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 593 ft long.
- Surface area
- 54 ac
- Normal storage
- 592 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 11.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE00176 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Grove Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-NI2-L0060 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.39 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Antelope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Grove Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Antelope County
Frequently asked questions about Grove Lake
Where is Grove Lake?
- Grove Lake is a lake in Antelope County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Grove Lake?
- Grove Lake in Antelope County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.8 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
Is Grove Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Grove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Grove Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Grove Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 22 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 54 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Grove Lake?
- Grove Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Ramp, Grove Lake Wildlife Management Area South. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Grove Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nebraska's top lakes, each with its grade
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX30 samples · 2014–2016
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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