Laurel Creek Reservoir
McCreary County, Kentucky54 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
Laurel Creek Reservoir in McCreary County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
- Max depth
- ~20 ft est.
- Area
- 54 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 30 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Laurel Creek Reservoir’s letter
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Laurel Creek Reservoir is a 54-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in McCreary County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 20 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2023-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Laurel Creek Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
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 | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~20 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 54 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Laurel Creek Reservoir.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Laurel Creek ReservoirPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Laurel Creek Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Laurel Creek Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Laurel Creek Lake Dam (completed 1987), built primarily for water supply on the Marsh Creek; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 360 ft long.
- Surface area
- 54 ac
- Normal storage
- 710 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.66 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- MCCREARY COUNTY WATER DISTRICT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00328 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in McCreary County
Nearby Lakes in McCreary County
Frequently asked questions about Laurel Creek Reservoir
Where is Laurel Creek Reservoir?
- Laurel Creek Reservoir is a lake in McCreary County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Laurel Creek Reservoir?
- Laurel Creek Reservoir in McCreary County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
Is Laurel Creek Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Laurel Creek Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Laurel Creek Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 20 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 54 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Laurel Creek Reservoir?
- Laurel Creek Reservoir has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Laurel Creek Reservoir. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Laurel Creek Reservoir across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 24.6 mi, nearest Yahoo Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kentucky's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2015–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX21 samples · 2015–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory