Chariton County Lake Quality
Missouri, 3 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Chariton County has 3 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Lake Nehai Tonkayea (B); the most-stressed is Sterling Price Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Chariton County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Nehai Tonkayea — or check the official Missouri fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Chariton County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Nehai Tonkayea | B | 8 ft | 10 µg/L |
| 2 | Marceline City Lake New Nr. Dam | C | 3.5 ft | 45.7 µg/L |
| 3 | Sterling Price Lake | F | 1.5 ft | 128.5 µg/L |
Other Counties in Missouri
See how Chariton County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 15 states.
Where to stay near Chariton County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.