Scott State Fishing Lake
Scott County, KansasView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Noxious aquatic plants
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 13 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Scott State Fishing Lake in Scott County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~13 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 53.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 25.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Scott State Fishing Lake in Scott 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Scott State Fishing Lake are listed below.
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Scott State Fishing Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 13 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2016. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2016-07-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Scott State Fishing Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited 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. Scott State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 25.8 µg/L. TSI 62. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 25.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Scott State Fishing 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.
Recreation & Access
- Lake ScottPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Scott State Fishing Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.16 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +11.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +11.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Scott State Fishing Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Scott Dam (completed 1926) on the Ladder Creek, 33 ft tall and 1,100 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 930 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,630 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- KANSAS DEPT OF WILDLIFE PARKS & TOURISM
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00894 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Scott State Fishing Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM011201 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.32 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Scott County
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Scott State Fishing Lake
Where is Scott State Fishing Lake?
- Scott State Fishing Lake is a lake in Scott County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Scott State Fishing Lake?
- Scott State Fishing Lake in Scott County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.8 µg/L.
Is Scott State Fishing Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Scott State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for noxious aquatic plants, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Scott State Fishing Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Scott State Fishing Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 13 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Scott State Fishing Lake?
- Scott State Fishing Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Scott. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Scott State Fishing Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX10 samples · 2013–2016
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory