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LakeQuality

Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam vs Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam has a higher water quality grade (B, Good) than Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam (D, Poor). Both are in Wayne County, Wisconsin.

Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam and Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam are both in Missouri — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam (B) is materially cleaner than Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam (D). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.

For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?

B

Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam

Wayne County, Wisconsin

Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft.

D

Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam

Wayne County, Wisconsin

Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricClearwater Lake Nr. DamLake Wappapello Nr. Dam
Overall GradeB (Good)D (Poor)
Water Clarity5.7 ft1.8 ft
Phosphorus15.7 µg/L50.7 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)3.7 µg/L34.9 µg/L
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area1.6K acres23.2K acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species00
Trophic Statemesotrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam wins on overall water quality with a Grade B versus Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam's Grade D. Water clarity: 5.7 ft vs 1.8 ft. For fishing diversity, Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam also leads with 0 species.