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 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Gasconade County, Peaceful Valley Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-08. 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 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 25.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | 25.7 µg/L | B |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.1 µg/L | B |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | 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 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Gasconade County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Peaceful Valley Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-08-08
Monitoring stations: 1