Lake Lucern
Warren County, Missouri42 acresView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Lucern. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Lake Lucern in Warren County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 42 acres.
Lake Lucern is a 42-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Warren County, Missouri. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Warren County, Lake Lucern ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2020-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Lucern 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 Lake Lucern
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Lake Lucern, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus 25.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.1 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 25.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Lucern
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Lucern typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Apr (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (85°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 70 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Lucern water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
42 acres
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Lucern, so its depth is not documented here.
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Stays near Lake Lucern
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Fishing Lake Lucern
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.1 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.07 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Lucern is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Lucern Dam (completed 1971), built primarily for recreation on the TRIB CHARRETTE CREEK; earth-type dam, 30 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 42 ac
- Normal storage
- 338 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 674 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,140 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- ASPENHOF CORP.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30519 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
13 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Lucern under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 6 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Country Cove Mhp WwtfWright City · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MO0117269Recent violation
- 16200 Veterans Memorial East WwtfWright City · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MO0113786Recent violation
- Faith Christian Family Church WwtpTruesdale · 3.7 mi away · NPDES MO0129721Recent violation
- Country Horizon Mhp WwtpWright City · 4.2 mi away · NPDES MO0113387Recent violation
- North Oak WwtpWright City · 4.2 mi away · NPDES MO0109673Recent violation
- Sccpwsd 2 Hickory Trails WwtpWright City · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MO0136204Recent 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 Warren County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Lucern
Where is Lake Lucern?
- Lake Lucern is a lake in Warren County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Lucern?
- Lake Lucern in Warren County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 42 acres.
Is Lake Lucern safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Lucern?
- Lake Lucern typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September, from 70 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake Lucern across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC17 samples · 2020
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)
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)