Lake C W Mcconaughy
Keith County, NebraskaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 112 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake C W Mcconaughy in Keith County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~112 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 57.6 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.9 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake C W Mcconaughy
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake C W Mcconaughy in Keith 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake C W Mcconaughy
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake C W Mcconaughy → · more Nebraska lake trips
Watch Lake C W Mcconaughy’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake C W Mcconaughy is a mesotrophic lake in Keith County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 112 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Keith County, Lake C W Mcconaughy ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake C W Mcconaughy is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake C W Mcconaughy is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 57.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.9 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 57.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~112 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~71 ft est. |
| 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 Lake C W Mcconaughy.
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
- Arthur BayPublic
- Lemoyne Bay - BaysidePublic
- LemoynePublic
- Martin Bay High WaterPublic
- Martin Bay Low WaterPublic
- Sandy BeachPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake C W Mcconaughy
- Little Thunder Campground3.9 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 Lake C W Mcconaughy
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -2.305 m/yr | 13 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.7 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.14 µg/L/yr | 12 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake C W Mcconaughy is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-NP1-L0030 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.4 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Keith County
Nearby Lakes in Keith County
Frequently asked questions about Lake C W Mcconaughy
Where is Lake C W Mcconaughy?
- Lake C W Mcconaughy is a lake in Keith County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake C W Mcconaughy?
- Lake C W Mcconaughy in Keith County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L.
Is Lake C W Mcconaughy safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake C W Mcconaughy is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake C W Mcconaughy?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake C W Mcconaughy, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 112 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Lake C W Mcconaughy?
- Lake C W Mcconaughy has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arthur Bay, Lemoyne Bay - Bayside, Lemoyne, Martin Bay High Water, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Lake C W Mcconaughy?
- Lake C W Mcconaughy has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Little Thunder 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 Lake C W Mcconaughy across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Nebraska
Mesotrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
147 measurements from 3 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_WQX147 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 (3)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles