Meadowlark Lake
Big Horn County, Wyoming276 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- #1 of 5 in the county
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Meadowlark Lake in Big Horn County, Wyoming has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 276 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.7 ft
- Max depth
- ~21 ft est.
- Area
- 276 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Meadowlark Lake’s letter
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Meadowlark Lake is a 276-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Big Horn County, Wyoming with an estimated average depth of about 21 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2019. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Big Horn County, Meadowlark Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wyoming DEQ, last sampled 2019-09-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Meadowlark Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.7 ft of visibility
- Camping5 public campgrounds 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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.7 ft. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 276 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Wyoming has not published bathymetry for Meadowlark 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.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Meadowlark Lake
- Lake View1.6 km
- Boulder Park1.7 km
- Willow Park1.8 km
- Sitting Bull3.1 km
- Island Park4.3 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 Meadowlark Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Meadowlark Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Meadowlark (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the East Tensleep Creek; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall and 247 ft long.
- Surface area
- 276 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,509 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,505 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 39 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USDA FS
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WY01334 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Big Horn County
Nearby Lakes in Big Horn County
Frequently asked questions about Meadowlark Lake
Where is Meadowlark Lake?
- Meadowlark Lake is a lake in Big Horn County, Wyoming. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Meadowlark Lake?
- Meadowlark Lake in Big Horn County, Wyoming has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Surface area: 276 acres.
Is Meadowlark Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Meadowlark Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Meadowlark Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 21 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 276 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Meadowlark Lake?
- Meadowlark Lake has 5 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Lake View, Boulder Park, Willow Park, Sitting Bull. 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 Meadowlark Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wyoming's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Watershed Program
WYDEQ_WATERSHED6 samples · 2019
Analytical methods
- Secchi
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles