Homestead Lake
Butler County, Nebraska38 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Homestead Lake in Butler County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 46.7 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Area
- 38 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 46.7 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Homestead Lake’s letter
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Why Homestead Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Homestead Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NDEE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Homestead Lake is a 38-acre lake in Butler County, Nebraska. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2015-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Homestead Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Homestead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Homestead Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a 46.7 µg/L. TSI 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 46.7 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Homestead Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Homestead Lake RecreationPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Homestead Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Homestead Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Skull Creek 55 (completed 2000), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Tr-Skull Creek; earth-type dam, 49 ft tall and 980 ft long.
- Surface area
- 38 ac
- Normal storage
- 218 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,961 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Lower Platte North Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE02567 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.09 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Homestead 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-LP1-L0355 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Homestead Lake
Homestead Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Butler County
Frequently asked questions about Homestead Lake
Where is Homestead Lake?
- Homestead Lake is a lake in Butler County, Nebraska. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Homestead Lake?
- Homestead Lake in Butler County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 46.7 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
Is Homestead Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Homestead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Homestead Lake?
- Homestead Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Homestead Lake Recreation. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Homestead Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2015. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX10 samples · 2015
Analytical methods
- 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