Kirkman'S Cove Lake
Richardson County, Nebraska155 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Kirkman'S Cove Lake in Richardson County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L. Surface area: 155 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Area
- 155 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 132 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 20.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Kirkman'S Cove Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kirkman'S Cove Lake in Richardson County, Nebraska — 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 Kirkman'S Cove Lake are listed below.
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Kirkman'S Cove Lake is a 155-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Richardson County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Kirkman'S Cove Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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. Kirkman'S Cove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pH / acidity, sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.4 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 132 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.5 µg/L. TSI 69. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 132 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 155 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Kirkman'S Cove 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
Public campgrounds near Kirkman'S Cove Lake
- Kirkman's Cove Recreation Area Campground0.2 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 Kirkman'S Cove Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.931 m/yr | 13 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.39 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.53 µg/L/yr | 12 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Kirkman'S Cove Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Long Branch 21 (completed 1986), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Kirkham Creek; earth-type dam, 69 ft tall and 1,870 ft long.
- Surface area
- 155 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,569 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,841 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 9.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Nemaha Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE02216 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.4 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Kirkman'S Cove 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 NE-NE2-L0040 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Richardson County
Nearby Lakes in Richardson County
Frequently asked questions about Kirkman'S Cove Lake
Where is Kirkman'S Cove Lake?
- Kirkman'S Cove Lake is a lake in Richardson County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Kirkman'S Cove Lake?
- Kirkman'S Cove Lake in Richardson County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L. Surface area: 155 acres.
Is Kirkman'S Cove Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Kirkman'S Cove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pH / acidity, sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kirkman'S Cove Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Kirkman'S Cove Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 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 155 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Kirkman'S Cove Lake?
- Kirkman'S Cove Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Kirkman's Cove Recreation Area 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 Kirkman'S Cove Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Nebraska
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Where this data comes from
189 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX189 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles