Lake Blythe
Christian County, Kentucky89 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #3 of 4 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Blythe in Christian County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Surface area: 89.2 acres.
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 89 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 22 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Blythe
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Blythe in Christian 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Blythe
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 Kentucky’s top lakes →
Watch Lake Blythe’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Blythe is a 89-acre mesotrophic lake in Christian County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Christian County, Lake Blythe ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2019-09-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Blythe 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. Lake Blythe is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. TSI 49. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~15 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 89 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Lake Blythe.
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
- Lake BlythePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Blythe
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Blythe is a man-made reservoir impounded by the North Fork Little River Mps 5 (completed 1962), built primarily for recreation on the North Fork of Little River; earth-type dam, 53 ft tall and 800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 89.2 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,313 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.42 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF HOPKINSVILLE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00212 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Blythe 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-301 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Christian County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Blythe holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Christian County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Blythe
Where is Lake Blythe?
- Lake Blythe is a lake in Christian County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Blythe?
- Lake Blythe in Christian County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Surface area: 89.2 acres.
Is Lake Blythe safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Blythe is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Blythe?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Blythe, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 89.2 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Blythe?
- Lake Blythe has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Blythe. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Blythe across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Kentucky
Mesotrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2015–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX12 samples · 2015–2019
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory