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, Missouri.
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?
Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft.
Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clearwater Lake Nr. Dam | Lake Wappapello Nr. Dam |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | D (Poor) |
| Water Clarity | 5.7 ft | 1.8 ft |
| Phosphorus | 15.7 µg/L | 50.7 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | 34.9 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 1,630 acres | 23,200 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
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.