Mistake Lake
Cherry County, NebraskaView 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 · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mistake Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 81 µg/L.
- Phosphorus
- 81 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mistake Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mistake Lake in Cherry 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Mistake Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Nebraska’s top lakes →
Watch Mistake Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Why Mistake 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 Mistake 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 NDEE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Mistake Lake is a lake in Cherry County, Nebraska. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2017-08-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria advisory
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Mistake Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Mistake Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 81 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 81 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Fishing Mistake Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Mistake Lake 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-NI3-L0170 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.2 km)
Graded lakes near Mistake Lake
Mistake Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cherry County
Frequently asked questions about Mistake Lake
Where is Mistake Lake?
- Mistake Lake is a lake in Cherry County, Nebraska. 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 Mistake Lake?
- Mistake Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 81 µg/L.
Is Mistake Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Mistake Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Mistake Lake across LakeQuality
4 documented falls within 20.8 mi, nearest Fort Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nebraska's top lakes, each with its grade
Nebraska's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Nebraska
Eutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX1 sample · 2017
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
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