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LakeQuality

Data Report · Updated July 2026

The State of Alabama’s Lakes 2026

Of 101 monitored lakes in Alabama, 40.6% earn a water-quality grade of A or B and 5.9% score D or F (average grade C). Smiw Lake is the cleanest;

101
Monitored lakes graded
C
Average grade
40.6%
Grade A or B
0%
On impaired list

Alabama grade distribution

A
B
C
A: 11 (10.9%)B: 30 (29.7%)C: 54 (53.5%)D: 5 (5.0%)F: 1 (1.0%)

Cleanest lakes in Alabama

Highest combined water-quality score, 2026.

  1. 1.ASmiw Lake — Winston County11.5 ft clarity · 7 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
  2. 2.AYate Lake — Tallapoosa County7.4 ft clarity · 7 µg/L P · 1 µg/L chl-a
  3. 3.ALbrf Lake — Franklin County11.0 ft clarity · 11 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
  4. 4.ATust Lake — Tuscaloosa County7.7 ft clarity · 12 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a
  5. 5.AInlb Lake — Blount County11.9 ft clarity · 12 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
  6. 6.AThue Lake — Elmore County5.8 ft clarity · 9 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
  7. 7.AMare Lake — Elmore County10.6 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a
  8. 8.AMare Lake — Randolph County11.5 ft clarity · 12 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a
  9. 9.AYate Lake — Tallapoosa County4.7 ft clarity · 9 µg/L P · 4 µg/L chl-a
  10. 10.ABclm Lake — Mobile County6.9 ft clarity · 16 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a

Most-polluted lakes

Lowest combined water-quality score among monitored lakes.

  1. 1.FBvlj Lake — Jefferson County2.1 ft clarity · 141 µg/L P · 40 µg/L chl-a
  2. 2.DNla Lake — Cullman County2.2 ft clarity · 12000 µg/L P · 9 µg/L chl-a
  3. 3.DNla Lake — Washington County4.4 ft clarity · 65 µg/L P · 28 µg/L chl-a
  4. 4.DNla Lake — Calhoun County2.1 ft clarity · 62000 µg/L P · 15 µg/L chl-a
  5. 5.DNla Lake — Marengo County2.0 ft clarity · 100 µg/L P · 11 µg/L chl-a
  6. 6.DNla Lake — Marengo County5.1 ft clarity · 52 µg/L P · 47 µg/L chl-a
  7. 7.CWarg Lake — Hale County2.1 ft clarity · 30 µg/L P · 21 µg/L chl-a
  8. 8.CNla Lake — Talladega County2.8 ft clarity · 54 µg/L P · 31 µg/L chl-a
  9. 9.CNla Lake — Pickens County3.6 ft clarity · 45 µg/L P · 25 µg/L chl-a
  10. 10.CNla Lake — Clay County5.5 ft clarity · 31000 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a

Worst algae hotspots

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

  1. 1.DNla Lake — Marengo County47 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  2. 2.FBvlj Lake — Jefferson County40 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  3. 3.CNla Lake — Talladega County31 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  4. 4.CNees Lake — Etowah County30 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  5. 5.DNla Lake — Washington County28 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  6. 6.COgll Lake — Lee County27 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  7. 7.CNees Lake — St. Clair County25 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  8. 8.CNla Lake — Pickens County25 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  9. 9.CNees Lake — Cherokee County24 µg/L chlorophyll-a
  10. 10.CLogs Lake — Talladega County22 µg/L chlorophyll-a

Explore Alabama lakes

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Grades combine Secchi clarity, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a from the EPA Water Quality Portal and state agencies. See the full methodology, the national State of America’s Lakes report, or all Alabama lakes.

Cite this report: LakeQuality, “The State of Alabama’s Lakes 2026,” lakequality.org/report/al.