Lake St. Joseph
Lake St. Joseph in Tensas Parish County, Louisiana has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 737 µg/L.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lake St. Joseph →
Lake St. Joseph is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Tensas Parish County, Louisiana. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Tensas Parish County, Lake St. Joseph ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2025-12-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 737 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 99.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 737 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 99 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Lake St. Joseph
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake St. Joseph in Tensas Parish County, Louisiana — 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 St. Joseph are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake St. Joseph
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Fishing Lake St. Joseph
EPA Impairment Status
Lake St. Joseph is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit LA081202_00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Tensas Parish County
Nearby Lakes in Tensas Parish County
Frequently asked questions about Lake St. Joseph
Where is Lake St. Joseph?
- Lake St. Joseph is a lake in Tensas Parish County, Louisiana. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake St. Joseph?
- Lake St. Joseph in Tensas Parish County, Louisiana has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 737 µg/L.
Is Lake St. Joseph safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Lake St. Joseph has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Lake St. Joseph across LakeGrade
More Louisiana Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Louisiana
Catahoula Parish County · Nutrient-rich
Concordia Parish County · Nutrient-rich
Concordia Parish County · Nutrient-rich
Franklin Parish County · Nutrient-rich
East Carroll Parish County · 2.5 ft
Catahoula Parish County · Nutrient-rich
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Louisiana
Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- LDEQ319
LDEQ31958 samples · 2023–2025 - LDEQ/Water Planning and Assessment (Louisiana)
LADEQWPD_WQX17 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database