Just how deep is your trough? 2 ft?
If so then how are your lilies planted?
In pots? How close is the top of the lilies to the surface
of the water?
Is the pool in direct sun or in shade?

sorry, new at figuring out relevent info for this :)

The trough is 2 feet deep, the lily and lotus are plant in pots at opposite ends of it. The lotus is approximately 4- 5 inches under the water's surface, the lily about a foot down.

They are planted in clay soil (easily available in my yard) mixed with some steer manure.

The trough is in direct sun all day.

If the waterlily never put up a single pad then you can assume it was dead when you got it.

While we did have an extremely cold wet spring all of my waterlilies grew and bloomed, though they bloomed later than normal.

The waterlily should be on the bottom of a trough of that depth.

We normally do not have the climate here to grow lotus unless kept in a greenhouse over winter. It isn't the cold but the lack of warmth and sunshine. I've lost everyone I've tried even with a heated pond in a heated greenhouse.

Your soil mix is just fine. You didn't bury the waterlily rhizome did you? The growing point must not be buried. Depending on where you bought it, it sounds like it was DOA...

I didn't bury it, but it was a Fred Meyer garden purchase ) I generally start with cheap plants while I figure out what I am doing. Next spring I will order one from Hughes

I love Hughes, well worth the trip to visit by the way, but if you want to save money, you can often get hardies for a lot less from other water gardeners. They require frequent division and many trade them. There is a trade forum here on Garden Web and others by googling for them. Hughes prices for waterlilies are rather high....

There are many smaller waterlilies that would be better for your trough too

I did actually drive out there when I was doing my research, but their prices seemed rather high for what I was reasonably certain was going to be a season of plant-murder (I almost never do well with new plants the first time out..)

Waterlilies from packages at big box stores often don't succeed, that isn't really your fault. It was likely dead for weeks before you bought it. They are not bulbs. They are not supposed to be dry and on a shelf.