Lake Buteo
Johnson County, Missouri8 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 4 in the county
Lake Buteo in Johnson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 8 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 74°F
- Area
- 8 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 20 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Lake Buteo’s letter
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Lake Buteo is a 8-acre mesotrophic lake in Johnson County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Johnson County, Lake Buteo ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Buteo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Lake Buteo typically sits around 74°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 83°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 86°F) and coldest in Apr (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 74 field readings (2015–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Buteo water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Buteo, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Buteo
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.247 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.76 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Buteo is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Buteo Dam (completed 1927), built primarily for recreation on the TR-CLEAR FORK BLKWTR RIVER; earth-type dam, 25 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 8 ac
- Normal storage
- 70 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 107 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 225 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20179 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Buteo 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_7469.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
15 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Buteo under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 10 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Usaf Whiteman Air Force Base WwtpWhiteman Afb · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MO0029378MajorRecent violation
- Jerry Kruse & JonaleneKnob Noster · 0.4 mi away · NPDES MO0125261Recent violation
- Lakewood Mobile Home Park WwtfKnob Noster · 1 mi away · NPDES MO0094277Recent violation
- Knob Noster Valley Hill WwtfKnob Noster · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MO0054496Recent violation
- Whiteman EstatesKnob Noster · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MO0107298Recent violation
- Knob Noster Trailer Park WwtfKnob Noster · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MO0080918Recent 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 #1 of 4 lakes in Johnson County
Nearby Lakes in Johnson County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Buteo
Where is Lake Buteo?
- Lake Buteo is a lake in Johnson County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Buteo?
- Lake Buteo in Johnson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 8 acres.
Is Lake Buteo safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Buteo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Buteo?
- Lake Buteo typically sits around 74°F at the surface in September, from 74 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2015–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake Buteo across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Missouri
Mesotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
106 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC103 samples · 2020–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 samples · 2021
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
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)