Lake Minatare
Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska2,195 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 48 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Surface area: 2195 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Max depth
- ~48 ft est.
- Area
- 2,195 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 52.4 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Minatare’s letter
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Lake Minatare is a 2,195-acre mesotrophic lake in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 48 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Scotts Bluff County, Lake Minatare ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-07-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Minatare is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water2,195 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 52.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.8 µg/L. TSI 51. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52.4 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~48 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,195 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Lake Minatare.
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
- Butte ViewPublic
- Lake View RampPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Minatare
- Lake Minatare State Recreation Area Butte View 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
Fishing Lake Minatare
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 12 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +8.318 m/yr | 12 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.02 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Minatare is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Minatare Dam (completed 1915), built primarily for irrigation on the Supply Canal; earth-type dam, 114 ft tall and 3,760 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,195 ac
- Normal storage
- 58,795 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 62,190 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.75 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE01075 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Scotts Bluff County
Nearby Lakes in Scotts Bluff County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Minatare
Where is Lake Minatare?
- Lake Minatare is a lake in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Minatare?
- Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Surface area: 2195 acres.
Is Lake Minatare safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Minatare?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Minatare, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 48 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 2195 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Minatare?
- Lake Minatare has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Butte View, Lake View Ramp. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Minatare?
- Lake Minatare has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Minatare State Recreation Area Butte View 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 Minatare across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Nebraska
Mesotrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
113 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2014–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX113 samples · 2014–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles