Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake
Sheridan County, Kansas87 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake in Sheridan County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 76 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 56.8 µg/L. Surface area: 87 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~11 ft est.
- Area
- 87 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 76 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 56.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake’s letter
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Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is a 87-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Sheridan County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 11 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2018. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2018-08-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 76 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 56.8 µg/L. TSI 71. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 76 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 56.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 87 acres |
| 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 Sheridan Co 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
- Sheridan State Fishing Lake WestPublic
- Sheridan State Fishing Lake EastPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.025 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +13.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8.9 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sheridan State Fishing Lake (completed 1959) on the North Creek, 61 ft tall and 1,320 ft long.
- Surface area
- 87 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,030 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,810 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.34 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- KANSAS DEPT OF WILDLIFE PARKS & TOURISM
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00896 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.17 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Sheridan Co 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-LM069401 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Sheridan County
Nearby Lakes in Sheridan County
Frequently asked questions about Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake
Where is Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake?
- Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is a lake in Sheridan County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake?
- Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake in Sheridan County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 76 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 56.8 µg/L. Surface area: 87 acres.
Is Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 11 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 87 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake?
- Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sheridan State Fishing Lake West, Sheridan State Fishing Lake East. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sheridan Co State Fishing Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Kansas
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX8 samples · 2014–2018
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