Kessler Lake
Jackson County, MissouriView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Kessler Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Kessler Lake in Jackson County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 265 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 50 µg/L.
Kessler Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Kessler Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: exceedances
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Kessler Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 30% of 10 samples across 4 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Missouri’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Kessler 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 Kessler Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Kessler 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 265 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 50 µg/L. TSI 77.
| 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 | 265µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 50µg/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. | 77 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Kessler Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Kessler Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (72°F) to its warmest (82°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 39 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kessler Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kessler Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kessler Lake in Jackson 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 Kessler Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Kessler Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Missouri’s top lakes →
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Fishing Kessler Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2021–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Worsening+54.25 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.69 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
31 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Kessler Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 7 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Vicinity Energy Kansas CityKansas City · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MO0004847MajorRecent violation
- Bally'S Kansas CityKansas City · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MO0139386Recent violation
- Ingredion Incorporated, North KansasNorth Kansas City · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MO0002534Recent violation
- Nkc Sewage Treatment Sludge LfNorth Kansas City · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MO0107263Recent violation
- Polynt Composites Usa, Inc.North Kansas City · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MO0003140Recent violation
- North Kansas City WtpNorth Kansas City · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MO0107956Recent 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 Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Kessler Lake
Where is Kessler Lake?
- Kessler Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kessler Lake?
- Kessler Lake in Jackson County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 265 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 50 µg/L.
Is Kessler Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Kessler Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 30% of 10 samples across 4 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Kessler Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Missouri's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Kessler Lake?
- Kessler Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 39 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Kessler Lake?
- Public access to Kessler 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
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- EPA R7
EPA_R7_WQX30 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Nutrient Analysis
- Chlorophyll a
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Total Nitrogen Calculation
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)