Lake Cannigo
Nicholas County, Kentucky114 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Cannigo in Nicholas County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 114 acres.
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Area
- 114 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Cannigo
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Cannigo in Nicholas 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 Cannigo
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 Cannigo’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Lake Cannigo is a 114-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Nicholas County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 114 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 Cannigo.
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.
Fishing Lake Cannigo
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Cannigo is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Carnico Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for recreation on the Big Brushy Creek; earth-type dam, 68 ft tall and 1,030 ft long.
- Surface area
- 114 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,362.5 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,962.5 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.67 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- NICHOLAS COUNTY FISCAL COURT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00112 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.61 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Nicholas County
Nearby Lakes in Nicholas County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Cannigo
Where is Lake Cannigo?
- Lake Cannigo is a lake in Nicholas 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 Cannigo?
- Lake Cannigo in Nicholas County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 114 acres.
Is Lake Cannigo safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Cannigo?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Cannigo, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 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 114 acres.
Explore Lake Cannigo across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2014–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX21 samples · 2014–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)