Horseshoe Lake
Crittenden County, ArkansasView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 51 ft max depth
- Limited data
Horseshoe Lake in Crittenden County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.6 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~51 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 85 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 72.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Horseshoe Lake in Crittenden County, Arkansas — 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 Horseshoe Lake are listed below.
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Horseshoe Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Crittenden County, Arkansas with an estimated average depth of about 51 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2023-03-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Horseshoe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 72.6 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 85 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 72.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~51 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Arkansas has not published bathymetry for Horseshoe Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Horseshoe Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -15 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8.05 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Horseshoe Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AR_08020203_4060 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Crittenden County
Nearby Lakes in Crittenden County
Frequently asked questions about Horseshoe Lake
Where is Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake is a lake in Crittenden County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake in Crittenden County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.6 µg/L.
Is Horseshoe Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Horseshoe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Horseshoe Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Horseshoe Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 51 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Horseshoe Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX35 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- 4500 P J ~ Persulfate Method for Simultaneous Determination of Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)