Peaceful Valley Lake is a 164-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Gasconade County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Gasconade County, Peaceful Valley Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-10-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Peaceful Valley Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C, Fair
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.8 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | 24.5 µg/L | B |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.7 µg/L | C |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 164 acres |
Where to stay near Peaceful Valley Lake
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Fishing Peaceful Valley Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.027 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.6 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.57 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Water Temperature
Peaceful Valley Lake averages about 83°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Jun (about 82°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2020–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Peaceful Valley Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 4 lakes in Gasconade County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Peaceful Valley Lake holds Grade C. 4 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- BSeetal LakeGasconade County · 23.3 mi · Higher grade (C → B)
- CPeaceful Valley LakeGasconade County · 0 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- CLost Valley LakeGasconade County · 11.4 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- CPort Hudson LakeFranklin County · 16.7 mi · Higher overall water quality score
Nearby Lakes in Gasconade County
Explore Peaceful Valley Lake across LakeGrade
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Peaceful Valley Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Peaceful Valley Lake Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the TR-CEDAR BRANCH CREEK; earth-type dam, 64 ft tall and 1,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 164 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,128 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,784 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.91 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- PEACEFUL VALLEY POA
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30196 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Peaceful Valley 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_7241.00 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
9 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Peaceful Valley Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Pwsd NO1 Of Gasconade County WwtfOwensville · 0.2 mi away · NPDES MO0041467Recent violation
- Owensville WwtfOwensville · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MO0041068Recent violation
- Parker Hannifin Sporlan Owensville PlantOwensville · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00097
- Lsc Communications Book OwensvilleOwensville · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00548
- Parker Hannifin Sporlan Owensville 2Owensville · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MONX00216
- Lsc Communications Book, OwensvilleOwensville · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MONX00546
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2023-10-06
Monitoring stations: 2