John Redmond Lake
Coffey County, Kansas9,671 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
John Redmond Lake in Coffey County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 290 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 9671 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Area
- 9,671 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 290 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 28 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near John Redmond Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near John Redmond Lake in Coffey County, Kansas — 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 John Redmond Lake are listed below.
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John Redmond Lake is a 9,671-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Coffey County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2017. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2017-07-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What John Redmond Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water9,671 acres
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. John Redmond Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 290 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 290 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 9,671 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for John Redmond 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.
Recreation & Access
- Dam Site CampgroundPublic
- Native RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing John Redmond Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.047 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -1.67 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
John Redmond Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the John Redmond Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Grand Neosho River; gravity-type dam, 87 ft tall and 21,790 ft long.
- Surface area
- 9,671 ac
- Normal storage
- 60,661 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 626,007 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3,015 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Tulsa District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00004 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
John Redmond Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM026001 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Coffey County
Nearby Lakes in Coffey County
Frequently asked questions about John Redmond Lake
Where is John Redmond Lake?
- John Redmond Lake is a lake in Coffey County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for John Redmond Lake?
- John Redmond Lake in Coffey County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 290 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 9671 acres.
Is John Redmond Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. John Redmond Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is John Redmond Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers John Redmond Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 9671 acres.
Are there boat ramps on John Redmond Lake?
- John Redmond Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dam Site Campground, Native Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore John Redmond Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX11 samples · 2014–2017
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory