Bilby Ranch Lake
Nodaway County, Missouri110 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
Bilby Ranch Lake in Nodaway County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.1 µg/L. Surface area: 110 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 83°F
- Max depth
- ~30 ft est.
- Area
- 110 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 51.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 24.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Bilby Ranch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bilby Ranch Lake in Nodaway County, Missouri — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bilby Ranch Lake are listed below.
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Bilby Ranch Lake is a 110-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Nodaway County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 30 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Nodaway County, Bilby Ranch Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-07-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Bilby Ranch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.4 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 51.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24.1 µg/L. TSI 62. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 51.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Bilby Ranch Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 60 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bilby Ranch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 110 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Bilby Ranch Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bilby Ranch Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.021 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.21 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bilby Ranch Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bilby Ranch Dam (completed 1991), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the TR NODAWAY RIVER; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 1,482 ft long.
- Surface area
- 110 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,360 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,970 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.75 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12280 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Nodaway County
Nearby Lakes in Nodaway County
Frequently asked questions about Bilby Ranch Lake
Where is Bilby Ranch Lake?
- Bilby Ranch Lake is a lake in Nodaway County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bilby Ranch Lake?
- Bilby Ranch Lake in Nodaway County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.1 µg/L. Surface area: 110 acres.
Is Bilby Ranch Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bilby Ranch Lake?
- Bilby Ranch Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August, from 60 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bilby Ranch Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Bilby Ranch Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 30 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 110 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Bilby Ranch Lake?
- Bilby Ranch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bilby Ranch Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bilby Ranch Lake across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC86 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory