Nolin Lake
Edmonson County, Kentucky5,790 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Nolin Lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5790 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Area
- 5,790 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 19 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 11.1 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Nolin Lake’s letter
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Nolin Lake is a 5,790-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2017. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2017-10-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Nolin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water5,790 acres
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)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.1 µg/L. TSI 51. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Sep 7, 2026, 3:10 PM from gauge 03310900 (NOLIN LAKE NEAR KYROCK, KY). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Nolin Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 5,790 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Nolin Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Brier CreekPublic
- ConolowayPublic
- DamPublic
- MoutardierPublic
- Nolin River Lake TailwaterPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Nolin Lake
- Nolin Lake State Park Campground3.8 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 Nolin Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nolin Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nolin River Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Nolin River; rockfill-type dam, 167 ft tall and 980 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,790 ac
- Normal storage
- 170,140 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 609,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 703 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Louisville District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY03011 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Edmonson County
Nearby Lakes in Edmonson County
Frequently asked questions about Nolin Lake
Where is Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake is a lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5790 acres.
Is Nolin Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water level at Nolin Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Nolin Lake is 515.16 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Sep 7, 2026, 3:10 PM at gauge 03310900. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Brier Creek, Conoloway, Dam, Moutardier, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Nolin Lake State Park 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 Nolin Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Mammoth Cave?
Nolin Lake is about 9 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Mammoth Cave →More Kentucky Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 9 monitoring stations, 2016–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Kentucky Water Science Center
USGS-KY42 samples · 2016–2017 - KY WQX
21KY_WQX6 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Plant pigments, sonication & 445
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (9)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles