Loto Lake is a 55,342-acre mesotrophic lake in Miller County, Missouri. Water quality is graded B based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Miller County, Loto Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-06-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B, Good
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | C |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.5 µg/L | C |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 55,342 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Loto Lake
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Fishing Loto Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.162 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.91 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Loto Lake averages about 82°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Apr (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 8 lakes in Miller County
Nearby Lakes in Miller County
Explore Loto Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Missouri
Compare Loto Lake With Nearby Lakes
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Loto Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bagnell (completed 1931), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Osage River; gravity-type dam, 148 ft tall and 2,543 ft long.
- Surface area
- 55,342 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,926,800 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,677,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 14,000 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Union Electric Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30014 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.43 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
10 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Loto Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lake Of The Ozarks Regional Wwtp 1Lake Ozark · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MO0103241MajorRecent violation
- Ameren Missouri - Osage Energy CenterLake Ozark · 0.2 mi away · NPDES MO0004821Recent violation
- Lazy River WwtfEldon · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MO0131148Recent violation
- Eagles Landing WwtfKaiser · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MO0133698Recent violation
- Hader Bluff Subdivision WwtfKaiser · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MO0123684
- Camp Bagnell On The River Llc WwtfBagnell · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MO0124753
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-06-13
Monitoring stations: 1