Lake Austelle
Cross County, Arkansas66 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Austelle in Cross County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L. Surface area: 66 acres.
- Max depth
- ~50 ft est.
- Area
- 66 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 17.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Austelle
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Austelle in Cross 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Austelle
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Arkansas’s top lakes →
Watch Lake Austelle’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Austelle is a 66-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cross County, Arkansas with an estimated average depth of about 50 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2023-03-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Austelle is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.5 µg/L. TSI 56. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~50 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 66 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Arkansas has not published bathymetry for Lake Austelle.
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
- Village Creek State Park - Lake AustellPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Austelle
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -16.07 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.13 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Austelle is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Austell (completed 1975), built primarily for recreation on the Willow Creek; earth-type dam, 45 ft tall and 960 ft long.
- Surface area
- 66 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,390 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,083 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR01285 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.15 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Cross County
Nearby Lakes in Cross County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Austelle
Where is Lake Austelle?
- Lake Austelle is a lake in Cross County, Arkansas. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Austelle?
- Lake Austelle in Cross County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L. Surface area: 66 acres.
Is Lake Austelle safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Austelle?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Austelle, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 50 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 66 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Austelle?
- Lake Austelle has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Village Creek State Park - Lake Austell. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Austelle across LakeQuality
More Arkansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Arkansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX52 samples · 2019–2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory