Winchester Reservoir
Clark County, Kentucky90 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 35 ft max depth
- Limited data
Winchester Reservoir in Clark County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 127 µg/L. Surface area: 90 acres.
- Max depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Area
- 90 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 127 µg/L
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Stays near Winchester Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Winchester Reservoir in Clark County, Kentucky — 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 Winchester Reservoir are listed below.
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Winchester Reservoir is a 90-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Clark County, Kentucky with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2022.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KY DOW, last sampled 2022-09-06. 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. Winchester Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 127 µg/L. TSI 74. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 127 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 90 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Kentucky has not published bathymetry for Winchester Reservoir.
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 Winchester Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Winchester Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Winchester Dam (completed 1985), built primarily for water supply on the Lower Howard Creek; roller-compacted concrete-type dam, 70 ft tall and 1,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 90 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,672 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WINCHESTER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KY01035 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Winchester Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KY-2038 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Clark County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Winchester Reservoir holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Clark County
Frequently asked questions about Winchester Reservoir
Where is Winchester Reservoir?
- Winchester Reservoir is a lake in Clark County, Kentucky. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Winchester Reservoir?
- Winchester Reservoir in Clark County, Kentucky has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Phosphorus: 127 µg/L. Surface area: 90 acres.
Is Winchester Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Winchester Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Winchester Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Winchester Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 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 90 acres.
Explore Winchester Reservoir across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- KY WQX
21KY_WQX24 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)