Hedgefield Lake
Lancaster County, Nebraska44 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #12 of 13 in the county
- Public access
Hedgefield Lake in Lancaster County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 679.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 46.9 µg/L. Surface area: 44 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Area
- 44 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 679.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 46.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Hedgefield Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hedgefield Lake in Lancaster 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 Hedgefield Lake are listed below.
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Hedgefield Lake is a 44-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Lancaster County, Hedgefield Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2021-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Hedgefield Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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. Hedgefield Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 679.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 46.9 µg/L. TSI 79. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 679.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 46.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 79 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 44 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Hedgefield Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- HedgefieldPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Hedgefield Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.083 m/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7.38 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hedgefield Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Upper Salt Creek 10-A (completed 1963), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Tr-Salt Creek; earth-type dam, 44 ft tall and 1,101 ft long.
- Surface area
- 44 ac
- Normal storage
- 190 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,689 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Lower Platte South Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE00533 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.22 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Hedgefield 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-LP2-L0020 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.11 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 13 lakes in Lancaster County
Nearby Lakes in Lancaster County
Frequently asked questions about Hedgefield Lake
Where is Hedgefield Lake?
- Hedgefield Lake is a lake in Lancaster County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Hedgefield Lake?
- Hedgefield Lake in Lancaster County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 679.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 46.9 µg/L. Surface area: 44 acres.
Is Hedgefield Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Hedgefield Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Hedgefield Lake?
- Hedgefield Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hedgefield. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hedgefield Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nebraska's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Other Grade F Lakes in Nebraska
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX30 samples · 2015–2021
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory