DeKalb County Lake Quality
Missouri, 6 lakes, average grade F (Very Poor)
Only 6 lakes in DeKalb County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. The county average is F — the most-stressed bracket in our rubric. Most monitored lakes here show persistent nutrient loading and algal pressure.
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 Pony Express Lake (D); the most-stressed is Cameron Lake Deep Site (F).
Quick Answers for DeKalb County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Pony Express Lake — or check the official Missouri fishing regulations.
All Lakes in DeKalb County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pony Express Lake | D | 1.3 ft | 53.2 µg/L |
| 2 | Buffalo Bill Lake Nr. Access | D | - | 71.3 µg/L |
| 3 | Cameron Lake Deep Site | F | 1.9 ft | 103 µg/L |
| 4 | King Lake | F | 0.6 ft | 186 µg/L |
| 5 | Cameron Lake Nr. Dam | F | 1.6 ft | 128.5 µg/L |
Other Counties in Missouri
See how DeKalb County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 15 states.
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.