Lake of the Woods-Kc
Jackson County, Missouri6 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #5 of 23 in the county
Lake of the Woods-Kc in Jackson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.7 µg/L. Surface area: 6 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in September
- 78°F
- Area
- 6 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 94.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 28.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake of the Woods-Kc
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of the Woods-Kc 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-Kc are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake of the Woods-Kc
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Watch Lake of the Woods-Kc’s letter
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Lake of the Woods-Kc is a 6-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Lake of the Woods-Kc ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-07-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake of the Woods-Kc is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 94.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28.7 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 94.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Lake of the Woods-Kc typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Apr (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2012–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake of the Woods-Kc water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake of the Woods-Kc, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake of the Woods-Kc
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-Kc 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 (0.09 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake of the Woods-Kc 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 · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake of the Woods-Kc under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Southeast Landfill LlcKansas City · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MO0105023Recent violation
- Spx Cooling Tech LlcKansas City · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MONX00266
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 #5 of 23 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Woods-Kc
Where is Lake of the Woods-Kc?
- Lake of the Woods-Kc is a lake in Jackson County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake of the Woods-Kc?
- Lake of the Woods-Kc in Jackson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.7 µg/L. Surface area: 6 acres.
Is Lake of the Woods-Kc safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake of the Woods-Kc 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 of the Woods-Kc?
- Lake of the Woods-Kc typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake of the Woods-Kc across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC45 samples · 2020–2023 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 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
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
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)