Lake Serene
Franklin County, Missouri65 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Serene in Franklin County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.6 µg/L. Surface area: 65 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 80°F
- Max depth
- ~41 ft est.
- Area
- 65 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 39.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 13.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Serene
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Serene in Franklin 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 Serene are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Serene
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Watch Lake Serene’s letter
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Lake Serene is a 65-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Franklin County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 41 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Franklin County, Lake Serene ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 39.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.6 µg/L. TSI 59. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 39.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Lake Serene typically sits around 80°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 88°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 24 field readings (2021–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Serene water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~41 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~15 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 65 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 Serene.
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.
Fishing Lake Serene
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.036 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.28 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.12 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Serene is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Serene Dam (completed 1957), built primarily for recreation on the TRIBUTARY OF CALVEY CREEK; earth-type dam, 42 ft tall and 1,175 ft long.
- Surface area
- 65 ac
- Normal storage
- 905 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 913 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.47 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- LAKE SERENE TRUSTEES
All listed purposes: Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30542 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
9 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Serene under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 5 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Ccsd Catawissa WwtfCatawissa · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MO0115410Recent violation
- Windfall Estates Mhp WwtpCatawissa · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MO0081035Recent violation
- Ccsd, Robertsville WwtfRobertsville · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MO0115401Recent violation
- Kober'S Mhp WwtfPacific · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MO0095583Recent violation
- Cole Circle Mobile Home PVilla Ridge · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MO0054984Recent violation
- Nike Elementary SchoolCatawissa · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MO0090603
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 #3 of 3 lakes in Franklin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Serene holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Serene
Where is Lake Serene?
- Lake Serene is a lake in Franklin 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 Serene?
- Lake Serene in Franklin County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.6 µg/L. Surface area: 65 acres.
Is Lake Serene safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Serene?
- Lake Serene typically sits around 80°F at the surface in September, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Serene?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Serene, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 41 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 65 acres.
Explore Lake Serene across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Gateway Arch?
Lake Serene is about 35 miles from Gateway Arch National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Gateway Arch →More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
72 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC72 samples · 2021–2024
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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)