Bowling Green Lake
Pike County, Missouri45 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Public access
Bowling Green Lake in Pike County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 75°F
- Area
- 45 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 24.6 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Bowling Green Lake’s letter
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Bowling Green Lake is a 45-acre mesotrophic lake in Pike County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 2024-08-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Bowling Green Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Bowling Green Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 24.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.1 µg/L. TSI 50. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Bowling Green Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Apr (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bowling Green Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bowling Green Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Jack Floyd Memorial Lake (Bowling Green)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bowling Green Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.091 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.79 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.85 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bowling Green Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bowling Green Dam #1 (completed 1954), built primarily for water supply on the TRIBUTARY TO NOIX CREEK; earth-type dam, 73 ft tall and 660 ft long.
- Surface area
- 45 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,410 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,734 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.27 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10262 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.04 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Bowling Green 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_7003.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.84 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Bowling Green Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Cozy C Campground And Rv WwtfBowling Green · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MO0118257Recent violation
- Lazy Acres Subdivision WwtpBowling Green · 4.2 mi away · NPDES MO0129984Recent violation
- Ameren Missouri - Peno Creek Energy CtrBowling Green · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MO0127710Recent violation
- Northeast Correctional Center WwtfBowling Green · 4.6 mi away · NPDES MO0118966Recent violation
- United Parcel Service - Bowling GreenBowling Green · 3 mi away · NPDES MONX00678
- Ups Bowling GreenBowling Green · 3 mi away · NPDES MONX00896
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Pike County
Nearby Lakes in Pike County
Frequently asked questions about Bowling Green Lake
Where is Bowling Green Lake?
- Bowling Green Lake is a lake in Pike County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bowling Green Lake?
- Bowling Green Lake in Pike County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Surface area: 45 acres.
Is Bowling Green Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Bowling Green Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bowling Green Lake?
- Bowling Green Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Bowling Green Lake?
- Bowling Green Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jack Floyd Memorial Lake (Bowling Green). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bowling Green Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
90 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
UMC90 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
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