Lone Star Lake
Douglas County, Kansas195 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #4 of 4 in the county
- 37 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lone Star Lake in Douglas County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Surface area: 194.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~37 ft est.
- Area
- 195 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 32.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 28.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lone Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lone Star Lake in Douglas County, Kansas — 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 Lone Star Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lone Star Lake
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Watch Lone Star Lake’s letter
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Lone Star Lake is a 195-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2017. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Lone Star Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2017-08-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lone Star Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28.5 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 32.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~37 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 195 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Lone Star Lake.
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.
Fishing Lone Star Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.075 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.75 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lone Star Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lone Star Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the Washington Creek; concrete-type dam, 71 ft tall and 1,700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 194.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,957 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.38 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- DOUGLAS COUNTY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS02540 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lone Star Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM011401 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Lone Star Lake
Where is Lone Star Lake?
- Lone Star Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lone Star Lake?
- Lone Star Lake in Douglas County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Surface area: 194.7 acres.
Is Lone Star Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lone Star Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lone Star Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lone Star Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 37 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 194.7 acres.
Explore Lone Star Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Kansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX10 samples · 2013–2017
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)