Catclaw Lake
Jackson County, Missouri43 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 34 ft max depth
- Limited data
Catclaw Lake in Jackson County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 43 acres.
- Max depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Area
- 43 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Catclaw Lake’s letter
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Why Catclaw Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Catclaw Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Missouri DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Catclaw Lake is a 43-acre lake in Jackson County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Catclaw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Catclaw Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~34 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 43 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Catclaw Lake.
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 Catclaw Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.039 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +12.62 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.57 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Catclaw Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Catclaw Lake Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the TR-BIG CREEK; earth-type dam, 31 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 43 ac
- Normal storage
- 425 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 713 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 450 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20024 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Catclaw 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_7374.00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Catclaw Lake
Catclaw Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Catclaw Lake
Where is Catclaw Lake?
- Catclaw Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Missouri. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Catclaw Lake?
- Catclaw Lake in Jackson County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Surface area: 43 acres.
Is Catclaw Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Catclaw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Catclaw Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Catclaw Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 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 43 acres.
Explore Catclaw Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR1 sample · 2023
Analytical methods
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)