Guist Creek Lake
Shelby County, Kentucky333 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Guist Creek Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 66 µg/L. Surface area: 333.1 acres.
- Area
- 333 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 66 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Guist Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Guist Creek Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky — 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 Guist Creek Lake are listed below.
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Guist Creek Lake is a 333-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Shelby County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Shelby County, Guist Creek Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Guist Creek Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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. Guist Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 66 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 66 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 333 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Guist Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Guist Creek MarinaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Guist Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.84 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Guist Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Guist Creek Lake Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for water supply on the Guist Creek; earth-type dam, 60 ft tall and 1,060 ft long.
- Surface area
- 333.1 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,724 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,944 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 29.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00040 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Guist Creek 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-871 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Shelby County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Guist Creek Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Shelby County
Frequently asked questions about Guist Creek Lake
Where is Guist Creek Lake?
- Guist Creek Lake is a lake in Shelby County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Guist Creek Lake?
- Guist Creek Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 66 µg/L. Surface area: 333.1 acres.
Is Guist Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Guist Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Guist Creek Lake?
- Guist Creek Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Guist Creek Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Guist Creek Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
49 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2012–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX49 samples · 2012–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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