Tlst Lake
Talladega County, AlabamaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
Tlst Lake in Talladega County, Alabama has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 6.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 16 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Tlst Lake’s letter
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Tlst Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Talladega County, Alabama with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Talladega County, Tlst Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, ADEM, last sampled 2025-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.3 ft. Phosphorus 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.5 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Alabama has not published bathymetry for Tlst 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.
Fishing Tlst Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.09 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.33 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.33 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Tlst Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Howard (completed 1956), built primarily for recreation on the Tallaseehatchee Creek; earth-type dam, 75 ft tall and 836 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 4,733 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,983 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF SYLACAUGA
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID AL01084 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Talladega County
Nearby Lakes in Talladega County
Frequently asked questions about Tlst Lake
Where is Tlst Lake?
- Tlst Lake is a lake in Talladega County, Alabama. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Tlst Lake?
- Tlst Lake in Talladega County, Alabama has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.5 µg/L.
Is Tlst Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Tlst Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Tlst Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Tlst Lake across LakeQuality
More Alabama Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Alabama
Mesotrophic Lakes in Alabama
Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- ALABAMA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - WATER QUALITY DATA
21AWIC83 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)