Osage Cove Lake
Osage County, OklahomaView mapDirections
Oklahoma DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Osage Cove Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Osage Cove Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma has water-quality measurements published by Oklahoma DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 214 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.9 µg/L.
Osage Cove Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Osage County, Oklahoma. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Osage County, Osage Cove Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ODEQ, last sampled 2021-03-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Osage Cove Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 Osage Cove Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Osage Cove Lake
These are the measurements Oklahoma DEQ publishes for Osage Cove Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 214 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16.9 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 214µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 16.9µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 70 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Osage Cove Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Osage CovePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Osage Cove Lake
- Osage Cove1.2 kmReserve
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 Osage Cove Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Osage Cove Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma — 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Osage Cove Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Osage Cove Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Osage Cove Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring (2012–2020).
Phosphorus
Improving-75.42 µg/L/yr8 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.71 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Osage County
Frequently asked questions about Osage Cove Lake
Where is Osage Cove Lake?
- Osage Cove Lake is a lake in Osage County, Oklahoma. Its water-quality measurements are published by Oklahoma DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Osage Cove Lake?
- Osage Cove Lake in Osage County, Oklahoma has water-quality measurements published by Oklahoma DEQ, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 214 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.9 µg/L.
Is Osage Cove 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 Osage Cove Lake?
- Osage Cove Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Osage Cove. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Osage Cove Lake?
- Osage Cove Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Oklahoma's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Osage Cove Lake?
- Osage Cove Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Osage Cove. 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 Osage Cove Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Oklahoma
Other Lakes in Oklahoma
Eutrophic Lakes in Oklahoma
Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kaw Nation, Oklahoma (Tribal)
KAWNATON_WQX104 samples · 2014–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus, Total Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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