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Pelahatchie Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #1 of 3 lakes in the county · 2.5 ft clear · Eutrophic
Eutrophic

Pelahatchie Lake in Rankin County, Mississippi has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26 µg/L.

Clarity
2.5 ft
Type
Eutrophic

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Pelahatchie Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rankin County, Mississippi. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Rankin County, Pelahatchie Lake ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Algae risk

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.

Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present

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Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 26 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.5 ftNot graded
Phosphorus40 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)26 µg/LFair
Trophic State Index (TSI)61Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Pelahatchie Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelahatchie Lake in Rankin County, Mississippi — 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.

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Fishing Pelahatchie Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Pelahatchie Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pelahatchie Lake Dam, built primarily for recreation; earth-type dam, 30 ft tall.

Max storage
1,200 ac-ft
Hazard class
Low
Owner
CITY OF PELAHATCHIE

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MS01257 · Operator website

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Rankin County

Nearby Lakes in Rankin County

Frequently asked questions about Pelahatchie Lake

Where is Pelahatchie Lake?

Pelahatchie Lake is a lake in Rankin County, Mississippi. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Pelahatchie Lake?

Pelahatchie Lake in Rankin County, Mississippi has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26 µg/L.

Is Pelahatchie Lake safe to swim in?

Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present. Pelahatchie Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 26 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Where this data comes from

68 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.

Collected and reported by

  • MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY21MSWQ_WQX68 samples · 2022–2024

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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.