What this tracks
This dataset identifies Nebraska lakes with water quality impairments under the Clean Water Act’s Section 303(d), listing pollutants and restoration plans.
Why it matters to you
If you’re planning a family fishing trip at Donald Whitney Memorial Lake, this data warns you it’s impaired for aquatic life due to low oxygen. Farmers relying on the Big Blue Basin’s BB1 subbasin for irrigation can check if “Agriculture_Water_Supply” is marked “S” (supporting) or impaired. The “Recreation” field’s “I” (impaired) rating with E. coli alerts swimmers to potential health risks.
How to read this data
Waterbody_Name — Official lake names like “Donald Whitney Memorial Lake”.
Overall_Assessment — “I” means impaired; blank or “S” means supporting designated uses.
Impairments_Causes — Specific issues like “Recreation (E. coli)” or “Aquatic Life - Dissolved Oxygen (Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus)”.
Comments_Actions — Tracks fixes, like “Lake Renovated 2011” or approved cleanup plans (“Phosphorus and Sediment TMDL approved 09/09”).
Try it yourself
Search your local lake by name in Nebraska’s 303(d) database to see if it’s safe for swimming or fishing this summer.