Lake Wanahoo
Saunders County, Nebraska662 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Lake Wanahoo in Saunders County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 92.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 662 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.4 ft
- Area
- 662 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 92.4 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 28 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Wanahoo
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Wanahoo in Saunders 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Wanahoo are listed below.
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Watch Lake Wanahoo’s letter
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Lake Wanahoo is a 662-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Saunders County, Nebraska. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Saunders County, Lake Wanahoo ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Wanahoo is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae 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.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Wanahoo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.4 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 92.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28 µg/L. TSI 66. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 92.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 662 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Wanahoo, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Wanahoo State Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Lake Wanahoo
- Lake Wanahoo Recreation Area Campground0.4 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 Wanahoo
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 12 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.573 m/yr | 12 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8.53 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.04 µg/L/yr | 11 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Wanahoo is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Wanahoo Dam (completed 2010), built primarily for other on the Sand Creek; earth-type dam, 59 ft tall and 4,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 662 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,150 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 27,356 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 87 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Lower Platte North Natural Resources District
All listed purposes: Other;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE03108 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Wanahoo is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-LP2-L0015 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Saunders County
Nearby Lakes in Saunders County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Wanahoo
Where is Lake Wanahoo?
- Lake Wanahoo is a lake in Saunders County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Wanahoo?
- Lake Wanahoo in Saunders County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 92.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28 µg/L. Surface area: 662 acres.
Is Lake Wanahoo safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Wanahoo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Wanahoo?
- Lake Wanahoo has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Lake Wanahoo?
- Lake Wanahoo has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake Wanahoo Recreation Area 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 Wanahoo across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Nebraska
Eutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
165 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2013–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX165 samples · 2013–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 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
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