Milford Lake
Clay County, KansasView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Public access
Milford Lake in Clay County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 610 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 610 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 35.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Milford Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Milford Lake in Clay 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 Milford Lake are listed below.
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Milford Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Clay County, Kansas. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 9 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2023-11-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Milford Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch9 documented ramps
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. Milford Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 610 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 35.3 µg/L. TSI 78. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 610 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 35.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Recreation & Access
- Dam Site SouthPublic
- Milford State ParkPublic
- Milford Lake State Park MarinaPublic
- Curtis Creek Public Use AreaPublic
- Curtis Creek Road (Point)Public
- Rolling HIlls Public Use Area - WestPublic
Showing 6 of 9 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Milford Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.211 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +11.8 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +19.51 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Milford 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-LM019001 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Clay County
Nearby Lakes in Clay County
Frequently asked questions about Milford Lake
Where is Milford Lake?
- Milford Lake is a lake in Clay County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Milford Lake?
- Milford Lake in Clay County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 610 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.3 µg/L.
Is Milford Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Milford Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Milford Lake?
- Milford Lake has 9 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dam Site South, Milford State Park, Milford Lake State Park Marina, Curtis Creek Public Use Area, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Milford Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kansas's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Kansas's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Kansas
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
1,070 measurements from 82 monitoring stations, 2012–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Kansas Water Science Center
USGS-KS1,056 samples · 2015–2023 - Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX14 samples · 2012–2018
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus, wu, microKJ ASF, H+
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
- YSI EXO turbidity sensor, FNU
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (82)
- USGS-391259097001800
- USGS-391135096572700
- USGS-391009096553700
- USGS-391147096595300
- USGS-391225096574100
- USGS-391005096545800
- USGS-390448096555500
- USGS-391240096593800
- USGS-391106096565700
- USGS-391109096585800
- USGS-390435096540200
- USGS-391340097003400
- USGS-390610096555500
- USGS-391306096590000
- USGS-390533096552700
- USGS-390804096555000
- USGS-391116096550500
- USGS-391149096582300
- USGS-391128096564200
- USGS-391332097001100
- USGS-390416096544600
- USGS-390734096543800
- USGS-390910096543300
- USGS-391207096565500
- USGS-391108096554600
- +57 more
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