Lake of the Woods
Jackson County, Missouri6 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #18 of 23 in the county
- Limited data
Lake of the Woods in Jackson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.9 µg/L. Surface area: 6 acres.
- Typical in September
- 76°F
- Area
- 6 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Stays near Lake of the Woods
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of the Woods 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake of the Woods are listed below.
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Watch Lake of the Woods’s letter
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Lake of the Woods is a 6-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Lake of the Woods ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lake of the Woods never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% 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.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 40.9 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 111 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 40.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Lake of the Woods typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 74°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 46 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake of the Woods, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake of the Woods
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.019 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +9.49 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake of the Woods is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gregory Blvd Dam (completed 1907), built primarily for other on the TR-BLUE RIVER; earth-type dam, 29 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 6 ac
- Normal storage
- 60 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 93 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 830 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- BRD OF PRKS+REC COMMISSN
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20147 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.13 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake of the Woods 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_7629.00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 23 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake of the Woods holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Woods
Where is Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods is a lake in Jackson County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods in Jackson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 111 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.9 µg/L. Surface area: 6 acres.
Is Lake of the Woods safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lake of the Woods never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 10 samples across 4 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lake of the Woods has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Missouri's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September, from 46 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake of the Woods across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
28 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_WQX28 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)
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