Marion County Sportsmans Lake
Marion County, Kentucky32 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 53 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Marion County Sportsmans Lake in Marion County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Surface area: 31.6 acres.
- Max depth
- ~53 ft est.
- Area
- 32 acres
- Phosphorus
- 22 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Marion County Sportsmans Lake’s letter
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Why Marion County Sportsmans Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Marion County Sportsmans Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by KY DOW and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Marion County Sportsmans Lake is a 32-acre lake in Marion County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 53 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2014-08-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Marion County Sportsmans Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Marion County Sportsmans Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~53 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 32 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 Marion County Sportsmans 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 Marion County Sportsmans Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Marion County Sportsmans Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Marion County Sportsmans Dam (completed 1953), built primarily for recreation on the Rolling Fork; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 31.6 ac
- Normal storage
- 465 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 585 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.23 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00020 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Marion County Sportsmans Lake 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-40 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Marion County Sportsmans Lake
Marion County Sportsmans Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Marion County
Frequently asked questions about Marion County Sportsmans Lake
Where is Marion County Sportsmans Lake?
- Marion County Sportsmans Lake is a lake in Marion County, Kentucky. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Marion County Sportsmans Lake?
- Marion County Sportsmans Lake in Marion County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Surface area: 31.6 acres.
Is Marion County Sportsmans Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Marion County Sportsmans Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Marion County Sportsmans Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Marion County Sportsmans Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 53 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 31.6 acres.
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX4 samples · 2014
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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)