DeKalb County, Missouri · Water Quality Report Card
Cameron Lake
Cameron Lake in DeKalb County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Cameron Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in DeKalb County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F (Very Poor)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 52.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | |
| Phosphorus | 128.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 52.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Fishing Cameron Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.024 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.75 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.11 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 5 lakes in DeKalb County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Cameron Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Explore Cameron Lake across LakeGrade
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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Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7384.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.58 km)
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)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2024-09-19
Monitoring stations: 2