Bee Tree Lake is a 9-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Bee Tree Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-10-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 0.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 263 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 296.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 85.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.6 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 263 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 296.4 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 85 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Bee Tree Lake
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Fishing Bee Tree Lake
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 9 lakes in St. Louis County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Bee Tree Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- CLake Tishomingo Nr. DamJefferson County · 15.9 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- DBoathouse LakeSt. Louis city County · 11.1 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DSimpson Park LakeSt. Louis County · 12.5 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DSimpson Park LakeSt. Louis County · 12.6 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DLafayette Park LakeSt. Louis city County · 15.6 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Explore Bee Tree Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri
Jefferson County · Clarity: 1.3 ft
St. Charles County · Clarity: 2.3 ft
St. Charles County · Clarity: 2.6 ft
St. Francois County · Clarity: 1.1 ft
Reynolds County · Clarity: 2.7 ft
Audrain County · Clarity: 1.8 ft
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bee Tree Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bee Tree Lake Dam (completed 1972), built primarily for recreation on the TR TO MERAMEC RIVER; earth-type dam, 18 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 9 ac
- Normal storage
- 40 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 87 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 180 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- ST. LOUIS COUNTY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO31378 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bee Tree Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7309.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
10 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Bee Tree Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 3 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Ameren Missouri - Meramec Energy CenterSt. Louis · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MO0000361MajorRecent violation
- Rcsd Kimmswick WwtpKimmswick · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MO0106461MajorRecent violation
- Msd Lower Meramec WwtpSt. Louis · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MO0127949Major
- Clyde Hamrick Elementary School WwtpImperial · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MO0138657Recent violation
- Moawc, Meramec PlantSt. Louis · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MO0001279Recent violation
- Msd, Lower Meramec WwtfSt. Louis · 0.3 mi away · NPDES MO0100978
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-10-17
Monitoring stations: 1