Honker Lake
Lyon County, KentuckyView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Noxious aquatic plants
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Honker Lake in Lyon County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 33.5 µg/L.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 33.5 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Honker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Honker Lake in Lyon 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 Honker Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Honker Lake
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Honker Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lyon County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 11 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2021-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Honker Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch11 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Honker Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 33.5 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 33.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Recreation & Access
- Dryden CreekPublic
- Eddy CreekPublic
- Holiday HillsPublic
- Honker BayPublic
- Hurricane CreekPublic
- Birmingham FerryPublic
Showing 6 of 11 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Honker Lake
- Taylor Bay Campground2.7 km
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
Fishing Honker Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Honker 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-918 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.38 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Lyon County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Honker 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.
Nearby Lakes in Lyon County
Frequently asked questions about Honker Lake
Where is Honker Lake?
- Honker Lake is a lake in Lyon County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Honker Lake?
- Honker Lake in Lyon County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 33.5 µg/L.
Is Honker Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Honker Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Honker Lake?
- Honker Lake has 11 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dryden Creek, Eddy Creek, Holiday Hills, Honker Bay, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Honker Lake?
- Honker Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Taylor Bay Campground. 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 Honker Lake across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX12 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles