Updated Jul 2026
Nebraska Lake Water Quality
Water quality grades for 71 monitored lakes across 47 counties.
71 {{stateName}} lakes carry a grade. Most of the input data flows through monitoring run by {{agency}}, which feeds state, federal, and volunteer measurements into the EPA Water Quality Portal. A-grade lakes are scarce in {{stateName}}: about 7% of the dataset. Most lakes here sit in C or D — productive, often shallow, frequently algal in late summer.
The state's lakes lean eutrophic: enough nutrient input to support an active algal community, with the trade-offs in clarity and dissolved oxygen that come with it. Morrill ranks highest on average county grade (A). Garden sits lowest. With only 47 counties in the state, the cross-county spread is narrower than the within-county spread for most lakes.
Grade Distribution
How Nebraska’s 71 graded lakes break down from A (excellent) to F.
Top-Graded Nebraska Lakes
The highest water-quality grades in Nebraska — clarity, depth, and A-F grade at a glance.
Crystal Cove Lake
Dakota County, Nebraska
See grade for Crystal Cove Lake →Bridgeport Middle Lake
Morrill County, Nebraska
See grade for Bridgeport Middle Lake →Qacpwrpltdup Lake
Douglas County, Nebraska
See grade for Qacpwrpltdup Lake →Qacpwrpltfbk Lake
Douglas County, Nebraska
See grade for Qacpwrpltfbk Lake →Qacnelakefbk
Douglas County, Nebraska
See grade for Qacnelakefbk →Cub Creek Lake
Jefferson County, Nebraska
See grade for Cub Creek Lake →Elwood Reservoir
Gosper County, Nebraska
See grade for Elwood Reservoir →Davis Creek Reservoir
Greeley County, Nebraska
See grade for Davis Creek Reservoir →Lake Carter P Johnson
Sioux County, Nebraska
See grade for Lake Carter P Johnson →Lake Map
Explore Nebraska Lakes
Nebraska reports, fishing & travel
Nebraska Fishing & Recreation
Licenses, regulations, records, and where to fish across Nebraska.
Counties
All 47 Nebraska counties, ranked by average lake water quality. Compare them against every county nationwide in the county rankings, browse the full directory of graded lakes, or pick a different state.
Top 25 Cleanest Lakes
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crystal Cove Lake | Dakota | A | 7.8 ft |
| 2 | Bridgeport Middle Lake | Morrill | A | 18.9 ft |
| 3 | Qacpwrpltdup Lake | Douglas | A | - |
| 4 | Qacpwrpltfbk Lake | Douglas | A | - |
| 5 | Qacnelakefbk | Douglas | A | - |
| 6 | Cub Creek Lake | Jefferson | B | 0.2 ft |
| 7 | Elwood Reservoir | Gosper | B | 10 ft |
| 8 | Davis Creek Reservoir | Greeley | B | 3.9 ft |
| 9 | Lake Carter P Johnson | Sioux | B | 8.3 ft |
| 10 | Lake Minatare | Scotts Bluff | B | 5.4 ft |
| 11 | Hershey Lake | Lincoln | B | 13.6 ft |
| 12 | Lake C W Mcconaughy | Keith | B | 7.2 ft |
| 13 | Box Butte Reservoir | Dawes | B | 5.6 ft |
| 14 | Enders Reservoir | Chase | C | 2.8 ft |
| 15 | Cub Creek Lake | Keya Paha | C | 4.9 ft |
| 16 | Lake Maloney | Lincoln | C | 2.1 ft |
| 17 | Cottonwood Lake | Cherry | C | 6.7 ft |
| 18 | Chalkrock Lake | Cedar | C | 3.3 ft |
| 19 | Skyview Lake | Madison | C | 6.2 ft |
| 20 | Kramper Lake | Dakota | C | 4.5 ft |
| 21 | Lake Whitney | Dawes | C | 0.5 ft |
| 22 | Hugh Butler Lake | Frontier | C | 2.8 ft |
| 23 | Lake Ogallala | Keith | C | 4.9 ft |
| 24 | Johnson Lake | Gosper | C | 2.8 ft |
| 25 | Sherman Reservoir | Sherman | C | 2.4 ft |
25 Lakes Needing Attention
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seward City Park Pond | Seward | F | - |
| 2 | Wildwood Lake | Lancaster | F | 1.7 ft |
| 3 | Swan Lake | Holt | F | 1.8 ft |
| 4 | Crescent Lake | Garden | F | 0.8 ft |
| 5 | Burchard Lake | Pawnee | F | 1.9 ft |
| 6 | Homestead Lake | Butler | F | 3 ft |
| 7 | Meadowlark Lake | Seward | F | 1.8 ft |
| 8 | Hedgefield Lake | Lancaster | F | 1.6 ft |
| 9 | Memphis Lake | Saunders | F | 1.5 ft |
| 10 | Czechland Lake | Saunders | F | 2.1 ft |
| 11 | Smith Lake | Sheridan | F | 1.7 ft |
| 12 | Pelican Lake | Cherry | F | 1.2 ft |
| 13 | Big Indian Lake | Gage | F | 1.5 ft |
| 14 | Pibel Lake | Wheeler | F | 2 ft |
| 15 | Liberty Cove Lake | Webster | F | 2.2 ft |
| 16 | Lake Hastings | Adams | F | 0.3 ft |
| 17 | Carter Lake | Douglas | F | 3.2 ft |
| 18 | Merritt Reservoir | Cherry | F | 2 ft |
| 19 | Swan Creek Lake | Saline | F | 1.5 ft |
| 20 | Willow Creek Reservoir | Pierce | F | 1.3 ft |
| 21 | Carter Lake Max Depth | Douglas | F | 1.3 ft |
| 22 | Maskenthine Reservoir | Stanton | F | 2.1 ft |
| 23 | Qacnelakedup | Douglas | D | - |
| 24 | Oxbow Trails Reservoir | Butler | D | 1.3 ft |
| 25 | Goose Lake | Holt | D | 1 ft |
Where to stay near Nebraska
Top-rated places to stay near Nebraska
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 to Nebraska?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Nebraska — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.