Thue Lake
Elmore County, Alabama574 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 5 in the county
Thue Lake in Elmore County, Alabama has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 574 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.8 ft
- Area
- 574 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 9 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Thue Lake’s letter
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Thue Lake is a 574-acre mesotrophic lake in Elmore County, Alabama. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Elmore County, Thue Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2026-04-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Thue Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.8 ft. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 43. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 574 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Thue Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Thue Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.075 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.03 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Thue Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Thurlow (completed 1930), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Tallapoosa River; gravity-type dam, 62 ft tall and 1,926 ft long.
- Surface area
- 574 ac
- Normal storage
- 18,250 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 18,250 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3,300 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Alabama Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL01422 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.27 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Thue Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit AL03150110-0406-102 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.88 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Elmore County
Nearby Lakes in Elmore County
Frequently asked questions about Thue Lake
Where is Thue Lake?
- Thue Lake is a lake in Elmore County, Alabama. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Thue Lake?
- Thue Lake in Elmore County, Alabama has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Surface area: 574 acres.
Is Thue Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Thue Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Thue Lake across LakeQuality
More Alabama Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Alabama
Mesotrophic Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
154 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC154 samples · 2013–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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