Wilson Co State Fishing Lake
Wilson County, Kansas119 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
- Limited data
Wilson Co State Fishing Lake in Wilson County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 119 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 119 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 25.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 23 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wilson Co State Fishing Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilson Co State Fishing Lake in Wilson County, Kansas — 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 Wilson Co State Fishing Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wilson Co State Fishing Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Kansas’s top lakes →
Watch Wilson Co State Fishing Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Wilson Co State Fishing Lake is a 119-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wilson County, Kansas with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2018. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2018-07-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wilson 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: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25.5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 23 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 119 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kansas has not published bathymetry for Wilson 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.
Fishing Wilson 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 | -0.033 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.75 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.27 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wilson Co State Fishing Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wilson County State Lake (completed 1955), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Woodruff Br Buffalo Creek; earth-type dam, 55 ft tall and 1,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 119 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,935 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,924 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.61 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- KANSAS DEPT OF WILDLIFE PARKS & TOURISM
All listed purposes: Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00899 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.27 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Wilson 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-LM015101 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.91 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Wilson County
Nearby Lakes in Wilson County
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Co State Fishing Lake
Where is Wilson Co State Fishing Lake?
- Wilson Co State Fishing Lake is a lake in Wilson County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wilson Co State Fishing Lake?
- Wilson Co State Fishing Lake in Wilson County, Kansas has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23 µg/L. Surface area: 119 acres.
Is Wilson Co State Fishing Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wilson 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 Wilson Co State Fishing Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wilson Co State Fishing 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 119 acres.
Explore Wilson Co State Fishing Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Kansas
Eutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX8 samples · 2012–2018
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)