Nolin Lake
Edmonson County, Kentucky5,790 acresView mapDirections
Kentucky DOW publishes the water-quality measurements for Nolin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Nolin Lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky has water-quality measurements published by Kentucky DOW, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.1 µg/L. Surface area: 5790 acres.
Nolin Lake is a 5,790-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 5,800 acres, Nolin Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 5 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Nolin Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Nolin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water5,790 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Nolin Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Kentucky Division of Water and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Nolin Lake
These are the measurements Kentucky DOW publishes for Nolin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.1 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Nolin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Nolin Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Surface area
5,790 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Kentucky DOW
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
- Moutardier3.4 kmReserve
- 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Nolin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nolin Lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky — 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 Nolin Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Nolin Lake → · more Kentucky lake trips
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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
Nearby Lakes in Edmonson County
Frequently asked questions about Nolin Lake
Where is Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake is a lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky. Its water-quality measurements are published by Kentucky DOW and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake in Edmonson County, Kentucky has water-quality measurements published by Kentucky DOW, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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.
Can I fish at Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Kentucky's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Nolin Lake?
- Nolin Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Moutardier, 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 lakes in Kentucky
Other 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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