National Lakes Assessment Data

The National Lakes Assessment (NLA) is a first-ever statistically-valid survey of the biological condition of lakes and reservoirs throughout the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with states and tribes to conduct the assessment in 2007.

Data for each parameter sampled in the National Lakes Assessment (NLA) are available for downloading in a series of files as comma separated values (*.csv). Each *.csv data file has a companion text file (*.txt) that lists a dataset label and individual descriptions for each variable. Users should view the *.txt files first to help guide their understanding and use of the data.

• 2007 National Lakes Assessment (NLA) (ZIP) (22MB)

Individual files from 2007 NLA available for download:

• Lake Basin Landuse Metrics (CSV) (741K) | Variable Description (TXT) (5K)
• Lake Buffer Landuse Metrics (CSV) (691K) | Variable Description (TXT) (5K)
• Lake Chemical Condition Estimates (CSV) (525K) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Water Quality Data (CSV) (2.3MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (10K)
• Lake Diatom IBI Condition Estimate (CSV) (1.6MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Diatom IBI Data (CSV) (247K) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Diatom Inference Model (CSV) (389K) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Diatom Inference Model Condition Estimate (CSV) (467K) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Diatom Inference Model Data (CSV) (393K) | Variable Description (TXT) (3K)
• Lake Sediment Diatom Count Data - Top (CSV) (16MB) | Lake Sediment Diatom Count Data - Bottom (CSV) (8MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (2K)
• Lake Sediment Diatom Sample Information (CSV) (478K) | Variable Description (TXT) (2K)
• Lake Physical Habitat Condition Estimates (CSV) (1.8MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Physical Habitat Index Values (CSV) (1.2MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (6K)
• Lake Profile Data (CSV) (1.6MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Visual Assessment Data (CSV) (1.3MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (7K)
• Lake Physical Habitat Metrics - A (CSV) (3.4MB) | Lake Physical Habitat Metrics - B (CSV) (3.5MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (37K)
• Lake Phytoplankton Soft Algae Count Data (CSV) (19MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (3K)
• Lake Phytoplankton Diatom Count Data (CSV) (7.2MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (3K)
• Lake Phytoplankton Sample Information (CSV) (509K) | Variable Description (TXT) (2K)
• Lake Zooplankton Count Data (CSV) (11.8MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Plankton Observed over Expected Model Values - OTU (CSV) (4MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Plankton Observed over Expected Model Values - Valid (CSV) (303K) | Variable Description (TXT) (2K)
• Lake Plankton O over E Model Condition Estimates (CSV) (432K) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Plankton Sampling Information (CSV) (520K) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Mean Dissolved Oxygen Values (CSV) (108K) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Mean Dissolved Oxygen Condition Estimate (CSV) (358K) | Variable Description (TXT) (3K)
• Lake Secchi Disk Data (CSV) (152K) | Variable Description (TXT) (1K)
• Lake Trophic Condition Estimate (CSV) (1.8MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Lake Recreational Condition Estimates (CSV) (506K) | Variable Description (TXT) (4K)
• Information for Lakes that were Sampled (CSV) (1.7MB) | Variable Description (TXT) (9K)
• Final Notes for Lake Data (PDF) (22 pp, 123K, About PDF)