Hazel Creek Lk. Lake
Adair County, Missouri515 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #4 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Hazel Creek Lk. Lake in Adair County, Missouri has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.6 µg/L. Surface area: 515 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 76°F
- Area
- 515 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 24.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 9.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Hazel Creek Lk. Lake is a 515-acre 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 improving 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, Hazel Creek Lk. Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Hazel Creek Lk. Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Hazel Creek Lk. Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.6 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Hazel Creek Lk. Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Apr (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 61 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hazel Creek Lk. Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 515 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Hazel Creek Lk. Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Hazel Creek Lake (Kirksville)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Hazel Creek Lk. Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.078 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.78 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hazel Creek Lk. Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hazel Creek Dam (completed 1982), built primarily for recreation on the HAZEL CREEK; earth-type dam, 65 ft tall and 1,343 ft long.
- Surface area
- 515 ac
- Normal storage
- 9,600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7.91 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF KIRKSVILLE
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12199 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Hazel Creek Lk. 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_7152.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.22 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Hazel Creek Lk. Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Greentop WwtfGreentop · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MO0091642Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Adair County
Nearby Lakes in Adair County
Frequently asked questions about Hazel Creek Lk. Lake
Where is Hazel Creek Lk. Lake?
- Hazel Creek Lk. Lake 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 Hazel Creek Lk. Lake?
- Hazel Creek Lk. Lake in Adair County, Missouri has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.6 µg/L. Surface area: 515 acres.
Is Hazel Creek Lk. Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Hazel Creek Lk. 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 Hazel Creek Lk. Lake?
- Hazel Creek Lk. Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September, from 61 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Hazel Creek Lk. Lake?
- Hazel Creek Lk. Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hazel Creek Lake (Kirksville). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hazel Creek Lk. Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Where this data comes from
90 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC90 samples · 2021–2024
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