What is the water quality grade for Houston Lake?

Houston Lake in Platte County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 176 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.8 µg/L. Surface area: 19 acres.

Is Houston Lake safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Houston Lake has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 35.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Houston Lake

Platte County, WisconsinHypereutrophic

Houston Lake is a 19-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Platte County, MO. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Platte County, Houston Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2023-09-29. 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 1.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 176 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 35.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	1.1 ft	F
Phosphorus	176 µg/L	F
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	35.8 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	73	Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	19 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Platte County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Houston Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Platte County

Hamilton Heights Park Lake

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Top 25 by overall water quality score

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Panfish-rich, public access

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Full state directory

Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin

Creve Coeur Lake

St. Louis County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Lake of the Woods-Kc

Jackson County · Clarity: 2 ft

Lake St. Louis by Dam

St. Charles County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Hemitite Lake

St. Francois County · Clarity: 1.1 ft

Blind Pony Lake

Saline County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Stockton Lake Upstream of Hwy 123 Bridge

Polk County · Clarity: 1.2 ft

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Hemitite Lake Stockton Lake Upstream of Hwy 123 Bridge Dairy Farm Lake No.1 Lake St. Louis Nr. Hwy 40

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Houston Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Houston Lake Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for recreation on the JUMPING BRANCH; other-type dam, 22 ft tall.

Surface area: 19 ac
Normal storage: 30 ac-ft
Max storage: 224 ac-ft
Drainage area: 898 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: VENETIAN GARDENS HOMES

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10002 · Operator website

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2023-09-29

Monitoring stations: 1