Lake Jericho
Henry County, Kentucky137 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Jericho in Henry County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 43.6 µg/L. Surface area: 137 acres.
- Max depth
- ~38 ft est.
- Area
- 137 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 43.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Jericho
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Jericho in Henry 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Jericho are listed below.
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Watch Lake Jericho’s letter
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Lake Jericho is a 137-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Henry County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 38 feet. Water quality is graded D 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Henry County, Lake Jericho ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Jericho is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Jericho is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 43.6 µg/L. TSI 59. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 43.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~38 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 137 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 Jericho.
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 Jericho Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Jericho
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.13 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Jericho is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Ky River Mps 1 (completed 1967), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Little Kentucky River; earth-type dam, 66 ft tall and 910 ft long.
- Surface area
- 137 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,916 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,920 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- HENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00061 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Jericho 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-999 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Henry County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Jericho holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Henry County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Jericho
Where is Lake Jericho?
- Lake Jericho is a lake in Henry County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Jericho?
- Lake Jericho in Henry County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 43.6 µg/L. Surface area: 137 acres.
Is Lake Jericho safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Jericho is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Jericho?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Jericho, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 38 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 137 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Jericho?
- Lake Jericho has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Jericho Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Jericho across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 24.1 mi, nearest Big Clifty Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kentucky's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade D Lakes in Kentucky
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2013–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX20 samples · 2013–2022
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
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