Lake Columbia
Columbia County, Arkansas2,751 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 56 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Columbia in Columbia County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L. Surface area: 2751 acres.
- Max depth
- ~56 ft est.
- Area
- 2,751 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 17.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Columbia’s letter
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Lake Columbia is a 2,751-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Columbia County, Arkansas with an estimated average depth of about 56 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2025-10-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Columbia is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Big water2,751 acres
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 Columbia is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.5 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~56 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,751 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 Columbia.
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
- Columbia Lake (North)Public
- Columbia Lake (South)Public
- Columbia Lake (East)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Columbia
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | 0 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -9.35 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Columbia is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Columbia Dam (completed 1986), built primarily for water supply on the Beech Creek; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 6,400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,751 ac
- Normal storage
- 28,787 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 66,063 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 46 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Columbia County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR01478 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Columbia 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 AR_11140203_4011 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Columbia County
Nearby Lakes in Columbia County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Columbia
Where is Lake Columbia?
- Lake Columbia is a lake in Columbia 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 Columbia?
- Lake Columbia in Columbia County, Arkansas has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L. Surface area: 2751 acres.
Is Lake Columbia safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Columbia is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Columbia?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Columbia, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 56 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 2751 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Columbia?
- Lake Columbia has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Columbia Lake (North), Columbia Lake (South), Columbia Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Columbia across LakeQuality
More Arkansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Arkansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Arkansas
Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX63 samples · 2023–2025
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 (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