Manito Lake by Dam
Moniteau County, Missouri77 acresView mapDirections
This is the name Missouri DNR records for this water. It can describe one sampling location rather than the water as a whole.
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Manito Lake by Dam. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
Manito Lake by Dam in Moniteau County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 62 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.6 µg/L. Surface area: 77 acres.
Manito Lake by Dam is a 77-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Moniteau County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 37 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-07-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Manito Lake by Dam is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Manito Lake by Dam is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Manito Lake by Dam is safe to swim in today is a call for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Manito Lake by Dam
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Manito Lake by Dam, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 62 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 25.6 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 62µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 25.6µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Manito Lake by Dam
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Manito Lake by Dam typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 83°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in May (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (73°F) to its warmest (87°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 59 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Manito Lake by Dam water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~37 ft est.
Surface area
77 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Missouri DNR
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Manito Lake by Dam.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
879 ft
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
- Manito Lake Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Manito Lake by Dam
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Manito Lake by Dam in Moniteau 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Manito Lake by Dam are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Manito Lake by Dam
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Manito Lake by Dam
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Stable4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.53 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.62 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Manito Lake by Dam is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Manito Dam (completed 1984), built primarily for recreation on the LITTLE RICHLAND CREEK; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 2,200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 77 ac
- Normal storage
- 918 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 918 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.31 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO31853 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.08 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Manito Lake by Dam is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7198.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Manito Lake by Dam under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fortuna WwtfFortuna · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MO0131539Recent violation
- Tipton WwtpTipton · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0094188Recent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Moniteau County
Frequently asked questions about Manito Lake by Dam
Where is Manito Lake by Dam?
- Manito Lake by Dam is in Moniteau County, Missouri. This is the name Missouri DNR records for this water. It can describe one sampling location rather than the water as a whole. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Manito Lake by Dam?
- Manito Lake by Dam in Moniteau County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 62 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.6 µg/L. Surface area: 77 acres.
Is Manito Lake by Dam safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Manito Lake by Dam 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 Manito Lake by Dam?
- Manito Lake by Dam typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August, from 59 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Manito Lake by Dam?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Manito Lake by Dam, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 37 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 77 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Manito Lake by Dam?
- Manito Lake by Dam has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Manito Lake Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Manito Lake by Dam?
- Manito Lake by Dam has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Missouri's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Manito Lake by Dam across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
85 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
UMC85 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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