Lake Taneycomo
Taney County, MissouriView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #3 of 9 in the county
- Public access
Lake Taneycomo in Taney County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 8.9 ft
- Typical in September
- 59°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 15.8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Taneycomo’s letter
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Lake Taneycomo is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Taney County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A 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 8 other monitored lakes in Taney County, Lake Taneycomo ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Water 56°F now
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Taneycomo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Phosphorus 15.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.2 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Sep 7, 2026, 3:30 PM from gauge 07053600 (Lake Taneycomo at School of the Ozarks, MO). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Lake Taneycomo water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
Lake Taneycomo typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 59°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — see Current Conditions above for the latest gauge reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2020–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Fishing Lake Taneycomo
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.153 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.48 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.58 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Taneycomo is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7314.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Taneycomo under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hollister WwtfHollister · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MO0116041MajorRecent violation
- Branson Cooper Creek WwtpBranson · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MO0116599MajorRecent violation
- Branson Creek WwtfHollister · 3.7 mi away · NPDES MO0123781Recent violation
- College Of The OzarksPoint Lookout · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MO0089117
- Ups BransonHollister · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MONX00687
- Ups BransonHollister · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MONX00910
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 9 lakes in Taney County
Nearby Lakes in Taney County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Taneycomo
Where is Lake Taneycomo?
- Lake Taneycomo is a lake in Taney County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Taneycomo?
- Lake Taneycomo in Taney County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L.
Is Lake Taneycomo safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Taneycomo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Taneycomo?
- Lake Taneycomo typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2020–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading. A USGS gauge on this lake last read 56°F.
What is the water level at Lake Taneycomo?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Lake Taneycomo is 701.43 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Sep 7, 2026, 3:30 PM at gauge 07053600. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Explore Lake Taneycomo across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Where this data comes from
131 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC108 samples · 2020–2024 - USGS Missouri Water Science Center
USGS-MO23 samples · 2020–2023
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
- Phosphorus, wu, microKJ ASF, H+
- YSI EXO turbidity sensor, FNU
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)