Ncht Lake
Tuscaloosa County, AlabamaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #3 of 9 in the county
- 38 ft max depth
- Limited data
Ncht Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~38 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 15 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ncht Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ncht Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama — 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 Ncht 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 Alabama’s top lakes →
Watch Ncht Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Ncht Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama with an estimated average depth of about 38 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Tuscaloosa County, Ncht Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2024-10-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.3 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.3 µg/L. TSI 47. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~38 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Alabama has not published bathymetry for Ncht 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 Ncht Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.3 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ncht Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Nicol Dam (completed 1954), built primarily for water supply on the Yellow Creek; earth-type dam, 82 ft tall and 800 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 10,349 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 10,349 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- TUSCALOOSA CITY OF
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL01111 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 9 lakes in Tuscaloosa County
Nearby Lakes in Tuscaloosa County
Frequently asked questions about Ncht Lake
Where is Ncht Lake?
- Ncht Lake is a lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Ncht Lake?
- Ncht Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L.
Is Ncht Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Ncht Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Ncht Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 38 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Ncht Lake across LakeQuality
More Alabama Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Alabama
Mesotrophic Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC56 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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)