What is the water quality grade for Nell Lake?

Nell Lake in Jackson County, Missouri received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 67 µg/L. Surface area: 30 acres.

Is Nell Lake safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Nell Lake has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 67 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Jackson County, Missouri

Nell Lake

Grade FVery Poor · 1.3 ft clarity

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Hypereutrophic

Nell Lake is a 30-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Nell Lake ranks #15 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2022-08-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

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Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 67 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	1.3 ft	F
Phosphorus	132.5 µg/L	F
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	67 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	73	Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	30 acres

Where to stay near Nell Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nell Lake in Jackson 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.

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Fishing Nell Lake

→ Nell Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

Metric	Trend	Change/Year	Years
Water Clarity	↓ Declining	-0.038 m/yr	4
Phosphorus	↓ Declining	+14.04 µg/L/yr	5
Chlorophyll-a	↓ Declining	+5.81 µg/L/yr	5

See year-by-year chart →

Water Temperature

Nell Lake averages about 85°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Jun (about 83°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

—

Feb

—

Mar

—

Apr

—

May

—

Jun

83°

Jul

87°

Aug

84°

Sep

—

Oct

—

Nov

—

Dec

—

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nell Lake water temperature breakdown →

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #15 of 27 lakes in Jackson County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Nell Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Jackson County

Prairie Lee Lake Nr. Dam

Jackson County

Explore Nell Lake across LakeGrade

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Missouri Lake Trips

Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade

Hypereutrophic Lakes

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

The State of Missouri's Lakes

Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More Missouri Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Missouri

Top 25 by overall water quality score

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Top 25 by Secchi water clarity

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Panfish-rich, public access

All Missouri lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri

Raintree Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 2.5 ft

Harrisonville Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 1.1 ft

North Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Harrisonville City Lake

Cass County · Clarity: 1.9 ft

Lake Luna

Cass County · Clarity: 1.2 ft

Holden City Lake Nr. Dam

Johnson County · Clarity: 2 ft

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri

Harrisonville Lake North Lake Lake Luna Chaumiere Lake

More records, surveys & data sources

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Nell Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Nell Dam (completed 1955), built primarily for recreation on the TR-EAST BR-BIG CREEK; earth-type dam, 30 ft tall.

Surface area: 30 ac
Normal storage: 250 ac-ft
Max storage: 482 ac-ft
Drainage area: 310 sq mi
Hazard class: Low
Owner: MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO20029 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Nell Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growth

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7403.00 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2022-08-16

Monitoring stations: 1

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