Pibel Lake
Wheeler County, Nebraska26 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Pibel Lake in Wheeler County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 979 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 54.9 µg/L. Surface area: 26 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Area
- 26 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 979 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 54.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Pibel Lake’s letter
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Pibel Lake is a 26-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wheeler County, Nebraska. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Wheeler County, Pibel Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Pibel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae 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.
The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Pibel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 979 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 54.9 µg/L. TSI 80. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 979 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 54.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 80 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 26 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Pibel Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Pibel LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Pibel Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.504 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.03 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.67 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pibel Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pibel Dam (completed 1895), built primarily for recreation on the Clear Creek; earth-type dam, 25 ft tall and 550 ft long.
- Surface area
- 26 ac
- Normal storage
- 123 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 311.1 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 63.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Lower Loup Natural Resources District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE00384 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pibel Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NE-LO1-L0130 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Wheeler County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Pibel Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wheeler County
Frequently asked questions about Pibel Lake
Where is Pibel Lake?
- Pibel Lake is a lake in Wheeler County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pibel Lake?
- Pibel Lake in Wheeler County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 979 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 54.9 µg/L. Surface area: 26 acres.
Is Pibel Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Pibel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Pibel Lake?
- Pibel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pibel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pibel Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Nebraska's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Other Grade C Lakes in Nebraska
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Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX86 samples · 2013–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 447.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll a and b in phytoplankton by HPLC/UV
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory