Shelby Lake
Shelby County, Kentucky57 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Shelby Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 94.5 µg/L. Surface area: 57 acres.
- Area
- 57 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 94.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Shelby Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shelby Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky — 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 Shelby Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Shelby Lake
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Watch Shelby Lake’s letter
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Shelby Lake is a 57-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Shelby County, Kentucky. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Shelby County, Shelby Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Shelby Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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. Shelby Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 94.5 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 94.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 57 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Shelby Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- City of ShelbyvillePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Shelby Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.73 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Shelby Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Shelby Lake Dam (completed 1955), built primarily for recreation on the Clear Creek; gravity-type dam, 20 ft tall and 350 ft long.
- Surface area
- 57 ac
- Normal storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,680 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 21.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF SHELBYVILLE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00087 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Shelby Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KY-1705 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Shelby County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Shelby Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Shelby County
Frequently asked questions about Shelby Lake
Where is Shelby Lake?
- Shelby Lake is a lake in Shelby County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Shelby Lake?
- Shelby Lake in Shelby County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 94.5 µg/L. Surface area: 57 acres.
Is Shelby Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Shelby Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Shelby Lake?
- Shelby Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include City of Shelbyville. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shelby Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade D Lakes in Kentucky
Eutrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2014–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX16 samples · 2014–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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