Potter'S Lake
Douglas County, KansasView mapDirections
KDHE publishes the water-quality measurements for Potter'S Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Limited data
Potter'S Lake in Douglas County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 45 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.5 µg/L.
Potter'S Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Kansas. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Potter'S Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2017-07-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Potter'S Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Potter'S Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Potter'S Lake
These are the measurements KDHE publishes for Potter'S 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 4.4 ft. Phosphorus 45 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 26.5 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 45µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 26.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Potter'S Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Potter'S Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Potter'S Lake in Douglas County, Kansas — 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 Potter'S Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Potter'S Lake
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Fishing Potter'S Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2012–2017). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-5.25 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Potter'S Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Drinking water, Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM073401 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Potter'S Lake
Where is Potter'S Lake?
- Potter'S Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Kansas. Its water-quality measurements are published by KDHE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Potter'S Lake?
- Potter'S Lake in Douglas County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 45 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.5 µg/L.
Is Potter'S Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Potter'S Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Potter'S Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX51 samples · 2012–2017
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database