Finger Lakes
Boone County, Missouri79 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 10 in the county
Finger Lakes in Boone County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 79 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 83°F
- Area
- 79 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 16.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Finger Lakes’s letter
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Finger Lakes is a 79-acre mesotrophic lake in Boone County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Boone County, Finger Lakes ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.1 µg/L. TSI 47. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Finger Lakes typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2017–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Finger Lakes water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 79 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Finger Lakes, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Finger Lakes
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.106 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.49 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.9 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Finger Lakes is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Finger Lakes Dam South, built primarily for recreation on the ROCKY FORK CK.; earth-type dam, 44 ft tall and 910 ft long.
- Surface area
- 79 ac
- Normal storage
- 398 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 585 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.84 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO. DNR PARKS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12212 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.05 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Finger Lakes under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Bcrsd Quarter Mile Hills WwtfHallsville · 3.6 mi away · NPDES MO0126446Recent violation
- Gsa Silver Meadow Camp WwtpHallsville · 4 mi away · NPDES MO0124338Recent violation
- Mawc, Hallsville WwtfHallsville · 4.3 mi away · NPDES MO0104990Recent violation
- Buckman Site - Hallsville WwtfHallsville · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MO0140686Recent violation
- Mike'S TotalColumbia · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MO0114049
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 #1 of 10 lakes in Boone County
Nearby Lakes in Boone County
Frequently asked questions about Finger Lakes
Where is Finger Lakes?
- Finger Lakes is a lake in Boone County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Finger Lakes?
- Finger Lakes in Boone County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 79 acres.
Is Finger Lakes safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Finger Lakes?
- Finger Lakes typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Finger Lakes across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Missouri
Mesotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
37 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC37 samples · 2020–2023
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
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)