What is the water quality grade for Callaway Fork Lake?

Callaway Fork Lake in St. Charles County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Surface area: 154 acres.

Is Callaway Fork Lake safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Callaway Fork Lake has an overall water quality grade of D. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Callaway Fork Lake

St. Charles County, WisconsinEutrophic

Callaway Fork Lake is a 154-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Charles County, MO. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 10 other monitored lakes in St. Charles County, Callaway Fork Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-06-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 39.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	3.3 ft	F
Phosphorus	39.5 µg/L	C
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	12.5 µg/L	C
Trophic State Index (TSI)	58	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	154 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 11 lakes in St. Charles County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Callaway Fork Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in St. Charles County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

Boathouse Lake

St. Louis city County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Hunnewell Lake

Shelby County · Clarity: 3.2 ft

Long Branch Lk. Lake

Macon County · Clarity: 1.8 ft

Harrison County Lake Intake

Harrison County · Clarity: 1.7 ft

Table Rock L. Bl. Hwy. 173 Lake

Stone County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Henry Sever Lake

Knox County · Clarity: 2.1 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Aspen Lake Along Southern Arm Boathouse Lake Hunnewell Lake Long Branch Lk. Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Callaway Fork Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Callaway Forks Dam (completed 1981), built primarily for recreation on the CALLAWAY FORK; earth-type dam, 80 ft tall and 600 ft long.

Surface area: 154 ac
Normal storage: 5,136 ac-ft
Max storage: 5,136 ac-ft
Drainage area: 12.67 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: CALLAWAY LAKE OWNERS ASSN.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO31845 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.09 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-06-07

Monitoring stations: 1