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Lake Tom Bailey

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #1 of 2 lakes in the county · 2.3 ft clear · Eutrophic · 250 acres
Eutrophic

Lake Tom Bailey in Lauderdale County, Mississippi has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Surface area: 250 acres.

Clarity
2.3 ft
Area
250 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Public access
Yes

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Lake Tom Bailey is a 250-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Lauderdale County, Lake Tom Bailey ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2021-10-05. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Algae risk

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.

Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present

Get alerts for Lake Tom Bailey

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.3 ftNot graded
Phosphorus30 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)24 µg/LFair
Trophic State Index (TSI)60Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Lake Tom Bailey

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Tom Bailey in Lauderdale County, Mississippi — 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.

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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area250 acres
Public AccessYes

No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Tom Bailey, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Lake Tom BaileyPublic

Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps

Fishing Lake Tom Bailey

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake Tom Bailey is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Tom Bailey (completed 1958), built primarily for recreation on the Toomsuba Creek; earth-type dam, 28 ft tall and 4,900 ft long.

Surface area
250 ac
Normal storage
1,166 ac-ft
Max storage
3,355 ac-ft
Drainage area
8.9 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE FISHERIES AND PARKS

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MS02633 · Operator website

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Lauderdale County

Nearby Lakes in Lauderdale County

Frequently asked questions about Lake Tom Bailey

Where is Lake Tom Bailey?

Lake Tom Bailey is a lake in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Lake Tom Bailey?

Lake Tom Bailey in Lauderdale County, Mississippi has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Surface area: 250 acres.

Is Lake Tom Bailey safe to swim in?

Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present. Lake Tom Bailey has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Lake Tom Bailey?

Lake Tom Bailey has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Tom Bailey. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

57 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.

Collected and reported by

  • MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY21MSWQ_WQX57 samples · 2020–2021

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • 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.

Other records on this page

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory