Wilson Lake
Russell County, Kansas9,040 acresView mapDirections
KDHE publishes the water-quality measurements for Wilson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Salinity / chlorides
- Public access
- Limited data
Wilson Lake in Russell County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Surface area: 9040 acres.
Wilson Lake is a 9,040-acre mesotrophic lake in Russell County, Kansas. 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 2018-08-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Wilson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water9,040 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wilson Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Wilson Lake
These are the measurements KDHE publishes for Wilson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.8 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wilson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Wilson Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Surface area
9,040 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by KDHE
No bathymetric survey has been published for Wilson Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Wilson-State ParkPublic
- Wilson-OtoePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Wilson Lake
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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wilson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilson Lake in Russell 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Wilson Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Wilson Lake → · more Kansas lake trips
Follow Wilson Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Wilson Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2012–2018). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.83 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.08 µg/L/yr3 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wilson Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wilson Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Saline River; earth-type dam, 152 ft tall and 5,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 9,040 ac
- Normal storage
- 245,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 736,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,917 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Kansas City District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS00013 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wilson Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Drinking water.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM014001 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Russell County
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Lake
Where is Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake is a lake in Russell County, Kansas. Its water-quality measurements are published by KDHE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake in Russell County, Kansas has water-quality measurements published by KDHE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Surface area: 9040 acres.
Is Wilson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wilson-State Park, Wilson-Otoe. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Kansas's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Sylvan Park, Lucas Park. 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 Wilson Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Kansas's top lakes, each with its readings
Kansas's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Kansas
Other Lakes in Kansas
Mesotrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
15 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_WQX15 samples · 2012–2018
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles