Forest Lake Se Branch
Adair County, MissouriView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Forest Lake Se Branch in Adair County, Missouri has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 76°F
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Forest Lake Se Branch is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Adair County, Missouri. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2024. 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 Adair County, Forest Lake Se Branch ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Forest Lake Se Branch is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Forest Lake Se Branch occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.1% of 231 samples across 7 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Missouri’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.3 µg/L. TSI 56. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Forest Lake Se Branch typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 84 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Forest Lake Se Branch water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Thousand HIlls State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Forest Lake Se Branch
- Thousand Hills State Park Campground 22.3 km
- Thousand Hills State Park Campground 12.8 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Forest Lake Se Branch
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.011 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.24 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.18 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Forest Lake Se Branch 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_7151.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.95 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
7 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Forest Lake Se Branch under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Kirksville WwtpKirksville · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MO0049506MajorRecent violation
- Lakeroad Village Park WwtfKirksville · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MO0045501Recent violation
- Burk Subdivision WwtfKirksville · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MO0107557Recent violation
- United Parcel Service - KirksvilleKirksville · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MONX00680
- Ups KirksvilleKirksville · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MONX00898
- Rye Creek LandfillKirksville · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MO0119741
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 #2 of 5 lakes in Adair County
Nearby Lakes in Adair County
Frequently asked questions about Forest Lake Se Branch
Where is Forest Lake Se Branch?
- Forest Lake Se Branch is a lake in Adair County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Forest Lake Se Branch?
- Forest Lake Se Branch in Adair County, Missouri has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L.
Is Forest Lake Se Branch safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Forest Lake Se Branch occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.1% of 231 samples across 7 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Forest Lake Se Branch has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Missouri's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Forest Lake Se Branch?
- Forest Lake Se Branch typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September, from 84 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Forest Lake Se Branch?
- Forest Lake Se Branch has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Thousand HIlls State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Forest Lake Se Branch?
- Forest Lake Se Branch has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Thousand Hills State Park Campground 2, Thousand Hills State Park Campground 1. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Forest Lake Se Branch across LakeQuality
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Other Grade B Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
114 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
UMC114 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles