Lincoln Lake
Lincoln County, Missouri48 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 39 ft max depth
Lincoln Lake in Lincoln County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Surface area: 48 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.7 ft
- Typical in September
- 77°F
- Max depth
- ~39 ft est.
- Area
- 48 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 12.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.6 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
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Lincoln Lake is a 48-acre mesotrophic lake in Lincoln County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 39 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Lincoln Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-12. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lincoln Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lincoln Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 9.1% of 264 samples across 8 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Missouri’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft. Phosphorus 12.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Lincoln Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 83°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in May (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lincoln Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~39 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 48 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Lincoln Lake.
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
Public campgrounds near Lincoln Lake
- Cuivre River State Park Campground1.5 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Lincoln Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.056 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.06 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.98 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lincoln Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Lincoln Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the DRY BRANCH SUGAR CREEK; earth-type dam, 69 ft tall and 535 ft long.
- Surface area
- 48 ac
- Normal storage
- 815 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,233 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.53 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO. DNR PARKS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10215 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
21 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lincoln Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 13 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Troy Hwy 47 WwtpTroy · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MO0054623MajorRecent violation
- Troy Southeast WwtpTroy · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MO0131296MajorRecent violation
- Gsa Camp Tuckaho WwtpTroy · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MO0045497Recent violation
- Brussels Valley Estates WwtpTroy · 3 mi away · NPDES MO0130117Recent violation
- Circle Woods MhpFoley · 3.4 mi away · NPDES MO0119041Recent violation
- Lcpwsd No.1 To Bobs Creek WwtfWinfield · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0121886Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Lincoln County
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Lincoln Lake
Where is Lincoln Lake?
- Lincoln Lake is a lake in Lincoln County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lincoln Lake?
- Lincoln Lake in Lincoln County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Surface area: 48 acres.
Is Lincoln Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lincoln Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 9.1% of 264 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lincoln Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Missouri's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lincoln Lake?
- Lincoln Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September, from 76 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lincoln Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lincoln Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 39 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 48 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Lincoln Lake?
- Lincoln Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Cuivre River State Park Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Lincoln Lake across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Missouri
Mesotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
143 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
UMC142 samples · 2020–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR1 sample · 2020
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 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)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles