Lake Malone
Logan County, Kentucky826 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 3 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Malone in Logan County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Surface area: 826 acres.
- Area
- 826 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 24 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Malone
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Watch Lake Malone’s letter
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Lake Malone is a 826-acre mesotrophic lake in Logan County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded B 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. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Logan County, Lake Malone ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2019-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Malone is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Malone is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. TSI 50. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 826 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Malone, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Lake Malone
- Lake Malone State Park Campground1.6 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 Malone
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +6.67 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Malone is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Mud River Mps 51 - Lake Malone Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Mud River; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 610 ft long.
- Surface area
- 826 ac
- Normal storage
- 14,250 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 31,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 28.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00110 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Malone 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-1225 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Logan County
Nearby Lakes in Logan County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Malone
Where is Lake Malone?
- Lake Malone is a lake in Logan County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Malone?
- Lake Malone in Logan County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Surface area: 826 acres.
Is Lake Malone safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Malone is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Malone?
- Lake Malone has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Malone State Park 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 Malone across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Kentucky
Mesotrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
33 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX33 samples · 2016–2019
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles