Wayne County, Missouri · Water Quality Report Card
Lake Wappapello
Lake Wappapello in Wayne County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Mean depth
- ~193 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Lake Wappapello is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wayne County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 193 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Wayne County, Lake Wappapello ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F (Very Poor)
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 50.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 34.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | |
| Phosphorus | 50.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 34.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~193 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Lake Wappapello.
Where to stay near Lake Wappapello
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Fishing Lake Wappapello
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.008 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8.84 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Wayne County
Nearby Lakes in Wayne County
Explore Lake Wappapello across LakeGrade
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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Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
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.
Where this data comes from
110 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
UMC109 samples · 2020–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR1 sample · 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
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2024-08-14
Monitoring stations: 2