Maskenthine Reservoir
Stanton County, Nebraska94 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
Maskenthine Reservoir in Stanton County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 62.9 µg/L. Surface area: 94 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~18 ft est.
- Area
- 94 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 151 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 62.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Maskenthine Reservoir in Stanton 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 Maskenthine Reservoir are listed below.
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Maskenthine Reservoir is a 94-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Stanton County, Nebraska with an estimated average depth of about 18 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2022-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Maskenthine Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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. Maskenthine Reservoir 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 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 62.9 µg/L. TSI 71. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 151 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 62.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~18 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 94 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Nebraska has not published bathymetry for Maskenthine 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
Public campgrounds near Maskenthine Reservoir
- Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area Campground0.1 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 Maskenthine Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.342 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +13.06 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Maskenthine Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Maskenthine Dam (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Maskenthine Creek; earth-type dam, 53 ft tall and 1,605 ft long.
- Surface area
- 94 ac
- Normal storage
- 928 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,862 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 9.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE00682 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Maskenthine Reservoir 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-EL1-L0080 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Stanton County
Nearby Lakes in Stanton County
Frequently asked questions about Maskenthine Reservoir
Where is Maskenthine Reservoir?
- Maskenthine Reservoir is a lake in Stanton County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Maskenthine Reservoir?
- Maskenthine Reservoir in Stanton County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 62.9 µg/L. Surface area: 94 acres.
Is Maskenthine Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Maskenthine Reservoir 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.
How deep is Maskenthine Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Maskenthine Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 18 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 94 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Maskenthine Reservoir?
- Maskenthine Reservoir has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Maskenthine Lake 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 Maskenthine Reservoir 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
68 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2012–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX68 samples · 2012–2022
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles