Gopher Lake
Jackson County, WisconsinHypereutrophic
Gopher Lake is a 40-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Jackson County, MO. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Gopher Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-08-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 145.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 53 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 145.7 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 53 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 40 acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 27 lakes in Jackson County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Gopher Lake holds Grade F. 4 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- DPrairie Lee Lake Nr. DamJackson County · 4.9 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- FCottontail LakeJackson County · 0.7 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- FCoot LakeJackson County · 1.4 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- FRaintree LakeCass County · 4.5 mi · Higher overall water quality score
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin
St. Louis County · Clarity: 1.6 ft
St. Charles County · Clarity: 2.3 ft
St. Francois County · Clarity: 1.1 ft
Saline County · Clarity: 2.3 ft
Polk County · Clarity: 1.2 ft
Callaway County · Clarity: 1.7 ft
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gopher Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gopher Lake Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the TR-EAST BRANCH-BIG CREEK; earth-type dam, 28 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 40 ac
- Normal storage
- 280 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 599 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 280 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20031 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Gopher 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_7383.00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-08-06
Monitoring stations: 1