Belcher Branch Lake
Buchanan County, Missouri46 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Belcher Branch Lake in Buchanan County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.9 µg/L. Surface area: 46 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in July
- 82°F
- Area
- 46 acres
- Phosphorus
- 44 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 44.9 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Belcher Branch Lake’s letter
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Why Belcher Branch Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Belcher Branch Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Missouri DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Belcher Branch Lake is a 46-acre lake in Buchanan County, Missouri. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Belcher Branch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Belcher Branch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Belcher Branch Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44.9 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 44.9 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Belcher Branch Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2013–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Belcher Branch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 46 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Belcher Branch Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Belcher Branch Lake Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Belcher Branch Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Belcher Branch Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Belcher Branch Lake Dam (completed 1992), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the TR-BELCHER BRANCH; earth-type dam, 47 ft tall and 1,397 ft long.
- Surface area
- 46 ac
- Normal storage
- 626 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,765 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.18 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12290 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Belcher Branch 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_7365.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Belcher Branch Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Pilot Travel Center 1323 WwtfFaucett · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0120758Recent violation
- Whispering Pines Mhp WwtpAgency · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MO0118991Recent violation
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.
Graded lakes near Belcher Branch Lake
Belcher Branch Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Buchanan County
Frequently asked questions about Belcher Branch Lake
Where is Belcher Branch Lake?
- Belcher Branch Lake is a lake in Buchanan County, Missouri. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Belcher Branch Lake?
- Belcher Branch Lake in Buchanan County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.9 µg/L. Surface area: 46 acres.
Is Belcher Branch Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Belcher Branch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Belcher Branch Lake?
- Belcher Branch Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in July, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2013–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Belcher Branch Lake?
- Belcher Branch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Belcher Branch Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Belcher Branch Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory