Macon City Lake is a 205-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Macon County, Missouri. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2024. 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 3 other monitored lakes in Macon County, Macon City Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Macon City Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 1.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 52.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.9 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 52.2 µg/L | C |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21.9 µg/L | D |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 205 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Macon City Lake
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Fishing Macon City Lake
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 | → Stable | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.84 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Macon City Lake averages about 81°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Aug (about 82°F) and coldest in Jun (about 81°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Macon City Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Macon County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Macon City Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- CThomas Hill Lake @ Hwy TMacon County · 11.1 mi · Higher grade (D → C)
- DLong Branch Lk. LakeMacon County · 1.1 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- DSugar Creek LakeRandolph County · 18.9 mi · Higher overall water quality score
Nearby Lakes in Macon County
Explore Macon City Lake across LakeGrade
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri
Randolph County · Clarity: 2.3 ft
Randolph County · Clarity: 1.6 ft
Randolph County · Clarity: 2.5 ft
Randolph County · Clarity: 2.5 ft
Randolph County · Clarity: 2.7 ft
Adair County · Clarity: 2.6 ft
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Macon City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Macon Lake Dam (completed 1927), built primarily for water supply on the DUCK CREEK; earth-type dam, 42 ft tall and 1,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 205 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,250 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,250 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.33 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF MACON
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10153 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Macon City Lake 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_7168.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.07 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
8 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Macon City Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Macon WwtpMacon · 3 mi away · NPDES MO0023221MajorRecent violation
- Farmers Mutual InsuranceMacon · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MO0038776Recent violation
- Dan Arnold LagoonMacon · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MO0057088Recent violation
- Economy Products CompanyMacon · 1.1 mi away · NPDES MONX00229
- Dennis L RaisheMacon · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MO0125997
- Macon Precision Machining LlcMacon · 2 mi away · NPDES MONX00252
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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: 2024-08-07
Monitoring stations: 1