Happy Holler Lake
Andrew County, Missouri62 acresView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Happy Holler Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Happy Holler Lake in Andrew County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 63 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Surface area: 62 acres.
Happy Holler Lake is a 62-acre lake in Andrew County, Missouri. 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 2024-07-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Happy Holler Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Happy Holler Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Happy Holler 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 Happy Holler Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Happy Holler 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 63 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.7 µg/L. TSI 60.
| 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 | 63µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.7µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Happy Holler Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
62 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Missouri DNR
No bathymetric survey has been published for Happy Holler Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Happy Holler Lake Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Fishing Happy Holler Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Happy Holler Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Happy Holler Dam (completed 1995), built primarily for recreation on the PLATTE RIVER; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 843 ft long.
- Surface area
- 62 ac
- Normal storage
- 805 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 805 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.41 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12380 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Happy Holler 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_7644.00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Andrew County
Frequently asked questions about Happy Holler Lake
Where is Happy Holler Lake?
- Happy Holler Lake is a lake in Andrew County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Happy Holler Lake?
- Happy Holler Lake in Andrew County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 63 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Surface area: 62 acres.
Is Happy Holler Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Happy Holler Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Happy Holler Lake?
- Happy Holler Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Happy Holler Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Happy Holler Lake?
- Happy Holler 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
4 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
UMC4 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory