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LakeQuality

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield

Greene County, MissouriView mapDirections

C
Fair

Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.

↓ down from B at the last regrade

Water temp
~73°F
Typical for Sep · EPA WQP
Clarity
4.2 ft
Secchi · sampled 2024
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Stable
5 years of samples
  • Mesotrophic
  • Impaired · Algal growth
  • #2 of 3 in the county
  • Public access

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield in Greene County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L.

Clarity
4.2 ft
Typical in September
73°F
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes
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Stays near James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield

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James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield is a mesotrophic lake in Greene County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Greene County, James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Springfield

Get alerts for James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 4.2 ft. Phosphorus 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.2 ftNot graded
Phosphorus23.8 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)2.2 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)48Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Water Temperature

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Apr (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
62°
May
64°
Jun
72°
Jul
77°
Aug
75°
Sep
73°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 93 field readings (20102024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield water temperature breakdown →

Fishing James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.026 m/yr5
Phosphorus Stable0 µg/L/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Declining+0.37 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growth

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7312.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.72 km)

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

  • Blackman Dwtp
    Springfield · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MO0139891
    Recent violation
  • James Valley Farms Subdivision Wwtp
    Springfield · 4.5 mi away · NPDES MO0100315
    Recent violation
  • Blackman Water Plant
    Springfield · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MO0130486
  • Ge Industrial Systems
    Springfield · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MO0002101
  • Usps Glenstone Station
    Springfield · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MONX00228
  • Kraft Heinz Foods Company
    Springfield · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MO0001945

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 #2 of 3 lakes in Greene County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Greene County

Frequently asked questions about James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield

Where is James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield?

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield is a lake in Greene County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield?

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield in Greene County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L.

Is James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield safe to swim in?

The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield 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 James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield?

James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September, from 93 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

Where this data comes from

105 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Univ. of Missouri, ColumbiaUMC105 samples · 2020–2024

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)