Nodaway Lake
Nodaway County, Missouri73 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 46 ft max depth
- Public access
Nodaway Lake in Nodaway County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.8 µg/L. Surface area: 73 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Max depth
- ~46 ft est.
- Area
- 73 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 57 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 34.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Nodaway Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nodaway Lake in Nodaway 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 Nodaway Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Nodaway Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 →
Watch Nodaway Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Nodaway Lake is a 73-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Nodaway County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 46 feet. Water quality is graded F 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. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Nodaway County, Nodaway Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-07-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Nodaway 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 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 34.8 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 57 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 34.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Nodaway Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nodaway Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~46 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 73 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 Nodaway 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.
Fishing Nodaway Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.015 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -7.2 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nodaway Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nodaway Lake Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the TR-CANAL BRANCH; earth-type dam, 55 ft tall and 1,480 ft long.
- Surface area
- 73 ac
- Normal storage
- 530 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,716 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.14 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
All listed purposes: Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10178 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nodaway 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_7076.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Nodaway Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Pickering WwtfPickering · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MO0130133Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Nodaway County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Nodaway 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 Nodaway County
Frequently asked questions about Nodaway Lake
Where is Nodaway Lake?
- Nodaway Lake is a lake in Nodaway County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nodaway Lake?
- Nodaway Lake in Nodaway County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.8 µg/L. Surface area: 73 acres.
Is Nodaway Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nodaway 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 Nodaway Lake?
- Nodaway Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Nodaway Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Nodaway Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 46 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 73 acres.
Explore Nodaway Lake across LakeQuality
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
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
92 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC90 samples · 2020–2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR2 samples · 2020
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
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)