Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

Lake County, TennesseeView mapDirections

D
Nutrient-rich

Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.

↑ up from F at the last regrade

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
No reading
No sample
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Improving
4 years of samples
  • Hypereutrophic
  • Impaired · Hydrologic alteration
  • #1 of 1 in the county
  • Public access
  • Limited data
See the measurementsDirectionsWhere to stay

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin in Lake County, Tennessee has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 242 µg/L.

Type
Hypereutrophic
Phosphorus
242 µg/L
Trend
↑ Improving
Public access
Yes
Loading map…

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin in Lake County, Tennessee — 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 Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

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 Tennessee’s top lakes →

Watch Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin’s letter

Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.

Or email

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Lake County, Tennessee. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, TDEC, last sampled 2021-06-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Boat launch3 documented ramps
  • Camping1 public campground nearby

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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. Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for hydrologic alteration, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Get alerts for Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin →

Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)

No clarity data. Phosphorus 242 µg/L. TSI 83. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No recent samples
Phosphorus242 µg/LPoor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)83Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Recreation & Access

3
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
1
Campgrounds
  • Long ParkPublic
  • Sunset CourtPublic
  • Bo's LandingSemi-private

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Public campgrounds near Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

  • Reelfoot Lake State Park South Campground4.8 km

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

Fishing Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving

Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Phosphorus↑ Improving-9.61 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Hydrologic alterationNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Oxygen depletion (low DO)Sediment / turbidity

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit TN08010202040_1000 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.81 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Lake County

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

NRTiptonville Chute—View →DReelfoot Lake-Reelfoot Creek EmbaymentHypereutrophic5.7 miView →NRCarey Basin—View →NRRat Pocket—View →NRMud Basin—View →DReelfoot Lake Upper Blue BasinHypereutrophic8.1 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin

Where is Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin?

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is a lake in Lake County, Tennessee. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin?

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin in Lake County, Tennessee has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 242 µg/L.

Is Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin safe to swim in?

The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for hydrologic alteration, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), sediment / turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Are there boat ramps on Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin?

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Long Park, Sunset Court, Bo's Landing. Public access is listed as yes.

Are there campgrounds on Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin?

Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Reelfoot Lake State Park South Campground. 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 Reelfoot Lake Blue Basin across LakeQuality

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Tennessee Lake Trips

Where to stay at Tennessee's top lakes, each with its grade

Hypereutrophic Lakes

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

The State of Tennessee's Lakes

Tennessee's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More Tennessee Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Tennessee

Ranked by overall water quality grade

Best swimming lakes in Tennessee

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Tennessee

Panfish-rich, public access

All Tennessee lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade D Lakes in Tennessee

Reelfoot Lake-Reelfoot Creek Embayment

Obion County · Nutrient-rich

Reelfoot Lake Upper Blue Basin

Obion County · Nutrient-rich

Big Sandy River Lake

Benton County · Nutrient-rich

Tennessee River Lake

Henry County · Nutrient-rich

Mckellar Lake

Shelby County · Nutrient-rich

Beech River Lake

Decatur County · Nutrient-rich

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Tennessee

Reelfoot Lake-Reelfoot Creek EmbaymentReelfoot Lake Upper Blue BasinDuck River LakeLittle Terrapin Branch Unnamed Tributary Impoundment Lake

Where this data comes from

7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • TDEC Division of Water ResourcesTDECWR_WQX7 samples · 2012–2021

Analytical methods

  • 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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

Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles