Where is Fox Valley Lake?

Fox Valley Lake is a lake in Clark County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Fox Valley Lake?

Fox Valley Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Fox Valley Lake?

No published bathymetric survey covers Fox Valley Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 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 96 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Fox Valley Lake?

Fox Valley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Fox Valley Lake?

Fox Valley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Missouri's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Fox Valley Lake

Clark County, Missouri96 acresView map Directions

Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Fox Valley Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

8.5 ft

Clearer than most

Secchi · sampled 2024

Phosphorus

16.5 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Missouri DNR

Chlorophyll-a

3.6 µg/L

Less algae than most

Measured by Missouri DNR

Water temp

~75°F

Typical for Sep · EPA WQP

Max depth

~45 ft est.

GLOBathy model

Area

96 acres

Surface area

Mesotrophic
Impaired · Algal growth
45 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Fox Valley Lake in Clark County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Surface area: 96 acres.

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Fox Valley Lake is a 96-acre mesotrophic lake in Clark County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-07-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Fox Valley Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low algae

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fox Valley Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Fox Valley Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Compare swimming lakes near Cedar Rapids →

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Water quality measurements for Fox Valley Lake

These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Fox Valley Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 45.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	8.5ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	16.5µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	3.6µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	45	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Fox Valley Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Fox Valley Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

72°

May

79°

Jun

83°

Jul

83°

Aug

75°

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (72°F) to its warmest (83°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fox Valley Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

Max depth

~45 ft est.

Surface area

96 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Missouri DNR

Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Fox Valley Lake.

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

1 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

1.7 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

640 ft

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.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Fox Valley Lake Conservation AreaPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Fox Valley Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Valley Lake in Clark County, Missouri — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Fox Valley Lake

Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Missouri’s top lakes →

Follow Fox Valley Lake’s readings

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Fishing Fox Valley Lake

→ Fox Valley Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).

Water clarity
Improving
4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+1.43 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving
-0.79 µg/L/yr5 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Fox Valley Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fox Valley Dam (completed 1983), built primarily for recreation on the FOX CREEK; earth-type dam, 52 ft tall and 1,000 ft long.

Surface area: 96 ac
Normal storage: 1,532 ac-ft
Max storage: 4,347 ac-ft
Drainage area: 1.79 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12197 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Fox Valley Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7008.00 · Official waterbody report

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Fox Valley Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

Revere Wwtf
Revere · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MO0129674
Recent violation

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.

Nearby Lakes in Clark County

Lake of the Oaks18.1 miView →Deer Ridge Comm. Lake2.9 ft clear · Eutrophic22.1 miView →O'Farre Lake—View →City of Lewistown Reservoir—View →Memphis Lake—View →Ewing Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Fox Valley Lake

Where is Fox Valley Lake?: Fox Valley Lake is a lake in Clark County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fox Valley Lake?: Fox Valley Lake in Clark County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Surface area: 96 acres.
Is Fox Valley Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fox Valley Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Fox Valley Lake?: Fox Valley Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fox Valley Lake?: No published bathymetric survey covers Fox Valley Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 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 96 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Fox Valley Lake?: Fox Valley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fox Valley Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fox Valley Lake?: Fox Valley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Missouri's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

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Where this data comes from

89 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Univ. of Missouri, ColumbiaUMC88 samples · 2020–2024
Missouri Dept. of Natural ResourcesMDNR1 sample · 2020

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)

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.