Clearwater Lake
Reynolds County, Missouri1,630 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
Clearwater Lake in Reynolds County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Surface area: 1630 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Typical in September
- 77°F
- Area
- 1,630 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
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Clearwater Lake is a 1,630-acre mesotrophic lake in Reynolds County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Reynolds County, Clearwater Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Clearwater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water1,630 acres
Clearwater Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Clearwater Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Clearwater Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 31.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.8 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 31.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 07062000 (Clearwater Lake Near Piedmont, MO). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Clearwater Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
Clearwater Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Apr (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 64 field readings (2012–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clearwater Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1,630 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Clearwater Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Webb Creek MarinaSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Clearwater Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.037 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.15 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.37 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Clearwater Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Clearwater Dam (completed 1942), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the BLACK; earth-type dam, 155 ft tall and 4,225 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,630 ac
- Normal storage
- 22,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 413,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 898 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Little Rock District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30203 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Clearwater 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_7326.00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Reynolds County
Nearby Lakes in Reynolds County
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Lake
Where is Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake is a lake in Reynolds County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake in Reynolds County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Surface area: 1630 acres.
Is Clearwater Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Clearwater Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September, from 64 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What is the water level at Clearwater Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Clearwater Lake is 498.27 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 07062000. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Webb Creek Marina.
Explore Clearwater Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
22.5 mi away · 40 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
103 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC103 samples · 2020–2024
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
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory