Sympson Lake
Nelson County, Kentucky151 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.
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sympson Lake in Nelson County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 21.9 µg/L. Surface area: 151 acres.
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 151 acres
- Phosphorus
- 21.9 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Sympson Lake’s letter
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Why Sympson 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 Sympson 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.
Sympson Lake is a 151-acre lake in Nelson County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2014-06-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sympson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Sympson Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 21.9 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 21.9 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 151 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Sympson 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
Public campgrounds near Sympson Lake
- My Old Kentucky Home State Park Campground4.7 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 Sympson Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sympson Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Sympson Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for water supply on the Buffalo Creek; rockfill-type dam, 73 ft tall and 1,030 ft long.
- Surface area
- 151 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,030 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,590 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 9.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY00045 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Sympson Lake
Sympson Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Nelson County
Frequently asked questions about Sympson Lake
Where is Sympson Lake?
- Sympson Lake is a lake in Nelson 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 Sympson Lake?
- Sympson Lake in Nelson County, Kentucky is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 21.9 µg/L. Surface area: 151 acres.
Is Sympson Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sympson Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sympson Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 151 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Sympson Lake?
- Sympson Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including My Old Kentucky Home State Park 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 Sympson Lake across LakeQuality
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Kentucky
Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2014. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX2 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)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles