Lake Maloney
Lincoln County, NebraskaView mapDirections
Nebraska DEE publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Maloney. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Lake Maloney in Lincoln County, Nebraska has water-quality measurements published by Nebraska DEE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L.
Lake Maloney is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lincoln County, Nebraska. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Lake Maloney ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Maloney is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Maloney is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Maloney is safe to swim in today is a call for the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Maloney
These are the measurements Nebraska DEE publishes for Lake Maloney, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 47.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.2 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 47.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Maloney
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- North RampPublic
- Lake Maloney South RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Maloney
- Kansas Point Campground1.8 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Maloney
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Maloney in Lincoln 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 Maloney
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Fishing Lake Maloney
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 13 years of monitoring (2012–2024).
Water clarity
Stable13 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.86 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.25 µg/L/yr12 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Maloney is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Maloney (completed 1935), built primarily for hydroelectric on the North & South Platte; concrete-type dam, 44 ft tall and 8,700 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 16,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,450 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Nebraska Public Power District
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE01052 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Maloney is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-SP1-L0020 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Maloney
Where is Lake Maloney?
- Lake Maloney is a lake in Lincoln County, Nebraska. Its water-quality measurements are published by Nebraska DEE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Maloney?
- Lake Maloney in Lincoln County, Nebraska has water-quality measurements published by Nebraska DEE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L.
Is Lake Maloney safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Maloney is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Maloney?
- Lake Maloney has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Ramp, Lake Maloney South Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Maloney?
- Lake Maloney has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Nebraska's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Maloney?
- Lake Maloney has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Kansas Point 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 Maloney across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
156 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_WQX156 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles