Lake Paho
Mercer County, Missouri269 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Paho in Mercer County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.2 µg/L. Surface area: 269.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 75°F
- Max depth
- ~30 ft est.
- Area
- 269 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Paho’s letter
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Why Lake Paho has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Paho, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Missouri DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Paho is a 269-acre lake in Mercer County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 30 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2021-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Paho is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Paho is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Paho
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 48.2 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 37 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 48.2 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Lake Paho typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2015–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Paho water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 269 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Lake Paho.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Lake Paho Conservation Area South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Paho
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Paho is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Paho Dam (completed 1951), built primarily for recreation on the WEST MUDDY CREEK; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 1,075 ft long.
- Surface area
- 269.1 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,477 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,884 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.78 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10108 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Paho 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_7132.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Lake Paho under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Princeton WwtfPrinceton · 3 mi away · NPDES MO0028762Recent 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.
Graded lakes near Lake Paho
Lake Paho has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Mercer County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Paho
Where is Lake Paho?
- Lake Paho is a lake in Mercer County, Missouri. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Lake Paho?
- Lake Paho in Mercer County, Missouri is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.2 µg/L. Surface area: 269.1 acres.
Is Lake Paho safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Paho 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 Paho?
- Lake Paho typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2015–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Paho?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Paho, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 30 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 269.1 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Paho?
- Lake Paho has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Paho Conservation Area South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Paho across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR3 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory