Jefferson County, Missouri · Water Quality Report Card
Lake Wauwanoka
Lake Wauwanoka in Jefferson County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 12.9 ft
- Mean depth
- ~17 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Lake Wauwanoka is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Jefferson County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 17 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Jefferson County, Lake Wauwanoka ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.9 ft | |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Lake Wauwanoka.
Where to stay near Lake Wauwanoka
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Wauwanoka in Jefferson 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.
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Fishing Lake Wauwanoka
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.08 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Jefferson County
Nearby Lakes in Jefferson County
Explore Lake Wauwanoka across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Gateway Arch?
Lake Wauwanoka is about 33 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 A Lakes in Missouri
Oligotrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Wauwanoka 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_7258.00 · Official waterbody report
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
103 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC103 samples · 2020–2024
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 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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: 2024-09-18
Monitoring stations: 1