Holt Lake
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama3,300 acresView mapDirections
ADEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Holt Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Holt Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Surface area: 3300 acres.
Holt Lake is a 3,300-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Tuscaloosa County, Holt Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2024-10-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Holt Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water3,300 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Holt Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Holt Lake
These are the measurements ADEM publishes for Holt Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.7 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.7 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 14.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Holt Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
3,300 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by ADEM
No bathymetric survey has been published for Holt Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Deerlick CreekPublic
- Rock Quarry LandingPublic
- Eagle Cove MarinaSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Holt Lake
- Deerlick Creek1.4 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Holt Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Holt Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Holt Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Holt Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 whole trip? See where to stay at Alabama’s top lakes →
Follow Holt Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Holt Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2012–2024).
Water clarity
Stable4 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.21 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Holt Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Holt Lock and Dam (completed 1968), built primarily for navigation on the Black Warrior River; gravity-type dam, 120 ft tall and 1,400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,300 ac
- Normal storage
- 117,990 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 187,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4,232 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Mobile District
All listed purposes: Navigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL01426 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Tuscaloosa County
Frequently asked questions about Holt Lake
Where is Holt Lake?
- Holt Lake is a lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Its water-quality measurements are published by ADEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Holt Lake?
- Holt Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has water-quality measurements published by ADEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Surface area: 3300 acres.
Is Holt Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Holt Lake?
- Holt Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Deerlick Creek, Rock Quarry Landing, Eagle Cove Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Holt Lake?
- Holt Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Alabama's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Holt Lake?
- Holt Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Deerlick Creek. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Holt Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Alabama
Other Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
99 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC99 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles