Pomme de Terre Lake
Hickory County, Missouri7,820 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↑ up from F at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 6 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Pomme de Terre Lake in Hickory County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.9 µg/L. Surface area: 7820 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Area
- 7,820 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pomme de Terre Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pomme de Terre Lake in Hickory 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 Pomme de Terre Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pomme de Terre 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Pomme de Terre Lake → · more Missouri lake trips
Watch Pomme de Terre Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Pomme de Terre Lake is a 7,820-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hickory County, Missouri. Water quality is graded D 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 5 other monitored lakes in Hickory County, Pomme de Terre Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Pomme de Terre Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Big water7,820 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Pomme de Terre Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.9 µg/L. TSI 60. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 39 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 7,820 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Pomme de Terre Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Pomme de Terre Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.045 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.41 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.72 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pomme de Terre Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pomme De Terre Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the POMME DE TERRE RIVER; rockfill-type dam, 155 ft tall and 4,630 ft long.
- Surface area
- 7,820 ac
- Normal storage
- 230,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 650,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 611 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Kansas City District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30201 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pomme de Terre 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_7238.00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 6 lakes in Hickory County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Pomme de Terre Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Hickory County
Frequently asked questions about Pomme de Terre Lake
Where is Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake is a lake in Hickory County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake in Hickory County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.9 µg/L. Surface area: 7820 acres.
Is Pomme de Terre Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Pomme de Terre Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Pomme de Terre 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
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC15 samples · 2024 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR9 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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