Cameron Lake Deep Site
DeKalb County, Missouri21 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 5 in the county
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Cameron Lake Deep Site in DeKalb County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.5 µg/L. Surface area: 21 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.9 ft
- Typical in September
- 68°F
- Max depth
- ~36 ft est.
- Area
- 21 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Cameron Lake Deep Site
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cameron Lake Deep Site in DeKalb 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 Cameron Lake Deep Site are listed below.
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Watch Cameron Lake Deep Site’s letter
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Cameron Lake Deep Site is a 21-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in DeKalb County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 36 feet. Water quality is graded F 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. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in DeKalb County, Cameron Lake Deep Site ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Cameron Lake Deep Site is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 34.5 µg/L. TSI 68. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 106 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 34.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Cameron Lake Deep Site typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Sep (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cameron Lake Deep Site water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 21 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 Cameron Lake Deep Site.
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.
Fishing Cameron Lake Deep Site
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.018 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -1.83 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cameron Lake Deep Site is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cameron City Reservoir #1 Dam (completed 1925), built primarily for water supply on the TRIBUTARY TO GRINDSTONE CREEK; earth-type dam, 36 ft tall and 550 ft long.
- Surface area
- 21 ac
- Normal storage
- 154 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 630 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.61 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF CAMERON
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10042 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.33 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Cameron Lake Deep Site 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_7120.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.66 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Cameron Lake Deep Site under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Cameron WwtpCameron · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MO0104299MajorRecent violation
- Rockwood Creek Mobile Home Village WwtfCameron · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0123960Recent violation
- Country Hills Estates WwtpCameron · 4 mi away · NPDES MO0132144Recent violation
- Durham School Services, LpCameron · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MONX00472
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 #3 of 5 lakes in DeKalb County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Cameron Lake Deep Site holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Frequently asked questions about Cameron Lake Deep Site
Where is Cameron Lake Deep Site?
- Cameron Lake Deep Site is a lake in DeKalb County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Cameron Lake Deep Site?
- Cameron Lake Deep Site in DeKalb County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.5 µg/L. Surface area: 21 acres.
Is Cameron Lake Deep Site safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Cameron Lake Deep Site is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cameron Lake Deep Site?
- Cameron Lake Deep Site typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cameron Lake Deep Site?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Cameron Lake Deep Site, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 36 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 21 acres.
Explore Cameron Lake Deep Site across LakeQuality
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
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Where this data comes from
274 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC271 samples · 2020–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 samples · 2020
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
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)