Hamilton Lake
Caldwell County, Missouri76 acresView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Hamilton Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hamilton Lake in Caldwell County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 64.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.7 µg/L. Surface area: 76 acres.
Hamilton Lake is a 76-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Caldwell County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 32 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Hamilton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hamilton 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.
Water quality measurements for Hamilton Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Hamilton Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 64.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.7 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 64.2µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 62 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hamilton Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hamilton Lake 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (85°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2015–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hamilton Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~32 ft est.
Surface area
76 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 Hamilton Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
919 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.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hamilton Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hamilton Lake in Caldwell 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Hamilton Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hamilton Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Hamilton Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hamilton Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hamilton City Water Plant Dam (completed 1954), built primarily for water supply on the TOM CREEK; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 1,300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 76 ac
- Normal storage
- 999 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,013 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.01 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF HAMILTON
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10261 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.17 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Hamilton Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7124.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Hamilton Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hamilton Sw Municipal WwtfHamilton · 1 mi away · NPDES MO0022063Recent violation
- Hamilton Se WwtfHamilton · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MO0022071Recent violation
- Hamilton Ne WwtfHamilton · 3.6 mi away · NPDES MO0022080Recent violation
- Kidder WwtfKidder · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MO0118591Recent 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 Caldwell County
Frequently asked questions about Hamilton Lake
Where is Hamilton Lake?
- Hamilton Lake is a lake in Caldwell County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hamilton Lake?
- Hamilton Lake in Caldwell County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 64.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.7 µg/L. Surface area: 76 acres.
Is Hamilton Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hamilton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hamilton Lake?
- Hamilton Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2015–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hamilton Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Hamilton Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 32 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 76 acres.
Can I fish at Hamilton Lake?
- Public access to Hamilton Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC8 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- 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)
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)