Marceline Lake
Linn County, Missouri65 acresView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Marceline Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Marceline Lake in Linn County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110.9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.7 µg/L. Surface area: 65 acres.
Marceline Lake is a 65-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Linn County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. 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 2 other monitored lakes in Linn County, Marceline Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-07-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Marceline Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Marceline Lake 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 Marceline Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Marceline Lake, 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 1.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 110.9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 25.7 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 111µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 25.7µg/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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Marceline Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 06902990 (Marceline Lake Near Marceline, MO). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Water Temperature
Marceline Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (71°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marceline Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~33 ft est.
Surface area
65 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 Marceline Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
830 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
- Old Marceline City Reservoir (Marceline)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Marceline Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marceline Lake in Linn 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 Marceline Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Marceline Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Missouri’s top lakes →
Follow Marceline Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Marceline Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Improving-2.35 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.7 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Marceline Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Marceline City Reservoir Dam (completed 1928), built primarily for water supply on the CLARKS CREEK; earth-type dam, 24 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 65 ac
- Normal storage
- 975 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 975 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,950 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF MARCELINE,MO
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10119 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.05 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Marceline Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hutchison Salt-Bnsf RailyardMarceline · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MO0128309Recent violation
- Marceline WwtpMarceline · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MO0039721Recent violation
- Bucklin East WwtfBucklin · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MO0085928Recent violation
- Bucklin West WwtfBucklin · 4.3 mi away · NPDES MO0085910Recent violation
- Kings Processing And Catering LlcMarceline · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MONX00851
- Moore Fans, LlcMarceline · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MONX00152
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 Linn County
Frequently asked questions about Marceline Lake
Where is Marceline Lake?
- Marceline Lake is a lake in Linn County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Marceline Lake?
- Marceline Lake in Linn County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110.9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.7 µg/L. Surface area: 65 acres.
Is Marceline Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Marceline Lake?
- Marceline Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Marceline Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Marceline Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 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 65 acres.
What is the water level at Marceline Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Marceline Lake is 756.97 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 06902990. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Marceline Lake?
- Marceline Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Old Marceline City Reservoir (Marceline). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Marceline Lake?
- Marceline Lake 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 Marceline Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Missouri
Other Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC21 samples · 2022–2024
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
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