Lake Washburn
Ohio County, Kentucky26 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 3 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Washburn in Ohio County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 25.8 acres.
- Area
- 26 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Washburn
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Watch Lake Washburn’s letter
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Lake Washburn is a 26-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ohio County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Overall water quality is declining 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 Ohio County, Lake Washburn ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2019-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Washburn is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Washburn is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. TSI 53. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 26 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Washburn, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Washburn LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Washburn
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.37 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Washburn is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Washburn (completed 1950), built primarily for recreation on the Rough River; earth-type dam, 26 ft tall and 840 ft long.
- Surface area
- 25.8 ac
- Normal storage
- 276.2 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 328.5 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.85 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00288 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Washburn is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KY-2691 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Ohio County
Nearby Lakes in Ohio County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Washburn
Where is Lake Washburn?
- Lake Washburn is a lake in Ohio County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Washburn?
- Lake Washburn in Ohio County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 25.8 acres.
Is Lake Washburn safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Washburn is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Washburn?
- Lake Washburn has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Washburn Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Washburn across LakeQuality
More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX12 samples · 2016–2019
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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