Cameron Lake
DeKalb County, MissouriView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Cameron Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Cameron Lake in DeKalb County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52.1 µg/L.
Cameron Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in DeKalb County, Missouri. 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 4 other monitored lakes in DeKalb County, Cameron Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cameron Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cameron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cameron Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Cameron Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Cameron Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 52.1 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 129µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 52.1µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 71 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Cameron Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Cameron (Grindstone Lake)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cameron Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cameron Lake 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Cameron Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cameron Lake
Prices for Nov 6–8, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Cameron Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+5.75 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.11 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Cameron Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7384.00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Frequently asked questions about Cameron Lake
Where is Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake is a lake in DeKalb County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake in DeKalb County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52.1 µg/L.
Is Cameron Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cameron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cameron (Grindstone Lake). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Missouri's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Cameron Lake across LakeQuality
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC45 samples · 2021–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 samples · 2023
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 (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory