Montrose Lake
Henry County, Missouri1,700 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 2 aquatic invasives
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Montrose Lake in Henry County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 266 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1700 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 80°F
- Max depth
- ~36 ft est.
- Area
- 1,700 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Montrose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Montrose Lake in Henry 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Montrose Lake are listed below.
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Montrose Lake is a 1,700-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Henry County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 36 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2022-08-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Montrose Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water1,700 acres
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Montrose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 0.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 266 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 61.9 µg/L. TSI 80. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 266 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 61.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 80 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Montrose Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 81°F) and coldest in Jul (about 78°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Montrose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,700 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 Montrose 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
- Montrose Conservation AreaPublic
- Montrose Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Montrose Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.13 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +154.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Montrose Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Montrose Lake Dam (completed 1955), built primarily for recreation on the DEEPWATER CREEK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 1,700 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 30,014 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 91,000 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- KANSAS CITY POWER & LITE
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20151 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Montrose 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_7208.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Montrose Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Montrose StationClinton · 1 mi away · NPDES MO0101117
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 #1 of 1 lakes in Henry County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Montrose Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Henry County
Frequently asked questions about Montrose Lake
Where is Montrose Lake?
- Montrose Lake is a lake in Henry County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Montrose Lake?
- Montrose Lake in Henry County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 266 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.9 µg/L. Surface area: 1700 acres.
Is Montrose Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Montrose 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 Montrose Lake?
- Montrose Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Montrose Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Montrose Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 36 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 1700 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Montrose Lake?
- Montrose Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Montrose Conservation Area, Montrose Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Montrose 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
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC40 samples · 2021–2022
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