Macon County Lake Quality
Missouri, 4 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Macon County has 4 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-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Long Branch L. Lake (C) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Macon County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Long Branch L. Lake — or check the official Missouri fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Macon County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Branch L. Lake | C | - | 36 µg/L |
| 2 | Thomas Hill Lake @ Hwy T | C | - | 51 µg/L |
| 3 | Long Branch Lk. Lake | D | 1.8 ft | 43.5 µg/L |
| 4 | Macon City Lake | D | 1.9 ft | 52.2 µg/L |
Other Counties in Missouri
See how Macon 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 Macon County
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.