Macon City Lake
Macon County, Missouri205 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Macon City Lake in Macon County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 56.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.3 µg/L. Surface area: 205 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 82°F
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Area
- 205 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 56.6 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 24.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Macon City Lake is a 205-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Macon County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 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 1 other monitored lakes in Macon County, Macon City Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Macon City Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Macon City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 56.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24.3 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 56.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Macon City Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~15 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 205 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Macon City 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
- Macon City LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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 | +0.18 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.36 µg/L/yr | 5 |
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)
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Macon County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Macon City Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Macon County
Frequently asked questions about Macon City Lake
Where is Macon City Lake?
- Macon City Lake is a lake in Macon County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Macon City Lake?
- Macon City Lake in Macon County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 56.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.3 µg/L. Surface area: 205 acres.
Is Macon City Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Macon City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Macon City Lake?
- Macon City Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Macon City Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Macon City Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 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 205 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Macon City Lake?
- Macon City Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Macon City Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Macon City Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC28 samples · 2023–2024
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 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory