Lake Rayburn
Benton County, Arkansas45 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Limited data
Lake Rayburn in Benton County, Arkansas is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
- Area
- 45 acres
- Phosphorus
- 21 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Lake Rayburn
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Watch Lake Rayburn’s letter
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Why Lake Rayburn has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Rayburn, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not water clarity.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by ADEQ and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Rayburn is a 45-acre lake in Benton County, Arkansas. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEQ, last sampled 2012-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Rayburn
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.6 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Rayburn, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Rayburn
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.85 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.93 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Rayburn is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rayburn Dam (completed 1973), built primarily for recreation on the Little Sugar Creek-Tr; earth-type dam, 95 ft tall and 830 ft long.
- Surface area
- 45 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AR00262 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Benton County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Rayburn
Where is Lake Rayburn?
- Lake Rayburn is a lake in Benton County, Arkansas. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Lake Rayburn?
- Lake Rayburn in Benton County, Arkansas is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.6 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
Is Lake Rayburn safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Rayburn across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ARDEQH2O_WQX4 samples · 2012
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
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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.