Reformatory Lake
Oldham County, Kentucky54 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- 44 ft max depth
- Limited data
Reformatory Lake in Oldham County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
- Max depth
- ~44 ft est.
- Area
- 54 acres
- Phosphorus
- 15 µg/L
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Watch Reformatory Lake’s letter
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Why Reformatory Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Reformatory Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by KY DOW and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Reformatory Lake is a 54-acre lake in Oldham County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 44 feet.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2014-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Reformatory Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~44 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 54 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Reformatory Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Reformatory Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Reformatory Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Reformatory Dam (completed 1955), built primarily for other on the Cedar Creek; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 54 ac
- Normal storage
- 599.9 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.67 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00007 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Reformatory Lake
Reformatory Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oldham County
Frequently asked questions about Reformatory Lake
Where is Reformatory Lake?
- Reformatory Lake is a lake in Oldham County, Kentucky. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Reformatory Lake?
- Reformatory Lake in Oldham County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Surface area: 54 acres.
Is Reformatory Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Reformatory Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Reformatory Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 44 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 54 acres.
Explore Reformatory Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX6 samples · 2014
Analytical methods
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)