Prairie Queen Lake
Sarpy County, Nebraska125 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 6 in the county
- Public access
Prairie Queen Lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.2 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Area
- 125 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 42.3 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 26.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Prairie Queen Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Prairie Queen Lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska — 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Prairie Queen Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Prairie Queen Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Nebraska’s top lakes →
Watch Prairie Queen Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Prairie Queen Lake is a 125-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. 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 5 other monitored lakes in Sarpy County, Prairie Queen Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NDEE, last sampled 2023-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Prairie Queen 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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Prairie Queen Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 42.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 26.2 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 42.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 26.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 125 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Prairie Queen Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Prairie QueenPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Prairie Queen Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.503 m/yr | 13 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.56 µg/L/yr | 12 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Prairie Queen Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Prairie Queen Main Dam (completed 2014), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Tr-South Papillion Creek; earth-type dam, 73 ft tall and 1,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 125 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,060 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.19 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Papio Missouri River Natural Resources District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NE05082 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.27 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Prairie Queen 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-MT1-L0027 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 6 lakes in Sarpy County
Nearby Lakes in Sarpy County
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Queen Lake
Where is Prairie Queen Lake?
- Prairie Queen Lake is a lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Prairie Queen Lake?
- Prairie Queen Lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.2 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
Is Prairie Queen Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Prairie Queen Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Prairie Queen Lake?
- Prairie Queen Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Prairie Queen. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Prairie Queen Lake across LakeQuality
More Nebraska Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Nebraska
Eutrophic Lakes in Nebraska
Where this data comes from
33 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
21NEB001_WQX33 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 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