Liberty Cove Lake
Webster County, Nebraska36 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Liberty Cove Lake in Webster County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 386 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.1 µg/L. Surface area: 36 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.2 ft
- Area
- 36 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 386 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 44.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Liberty Cove Lake in Webster 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 Liberty Cove Lake are listed below.
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Liberty Cove Lake is a 36-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Webster County, Nebraska. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2016. 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, NDEE, last sampled 2016-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Liberty Cove Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Liberty Cove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 386 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44.1 µg/L. TSI 74. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 386 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 44.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Liberty Cove Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Liberty Cove Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Liberty Cove Lake
- Liberty Cove Recreation Area Campground0.2 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 Liberty Cove Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -2 m/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.69 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Liberty Cove Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Liberty Creek North Dam (completed 1990), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Liberty Creek; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 965 ft long.
- Surface area
- 36 ac
- Normal storage
- 205 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 832 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Little Blue Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE02315 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Liberty Cove Lake 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-LB2-L0050 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Webster County
Nearby Lakes in Webster County
Frequently asked questions about Liberty Cove Lake
Where is Liberty Cove Lake?
- Liberty Cove Lake is a lake in Webster County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Liberty Cove Lake?
- Liberty Cove Lake in Webster County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 386 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.1 µg/L. Surface area: 36 acres.
Is Liberty Cove Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Liberty Cove Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Liberty Cove Lake?
- Liberty Cove Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Liberty Cove Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Liberty Cove Lake?
- Liberty Cove Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Liberty Cove 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 Liberty Cove Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nebraska's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX50 samples · 2012–2016
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