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LakeQuality

Port Perry Lake South Arm

Perry County, Missouri187 acresView mapDirections

A
Excellent

Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.

↑ up from B at the last regrade

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
9.5 ft
Secchi · sampled 2024
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
No reading
Not enough history
  • Mesotrophic
  • #2 of 3 in the county
  • Limited data

Port Perry Lake South Arm in Perry County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Surface area: 187 acres.

Clarity
9.5 ft
Area
187 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Phosphorus
8.3 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a
2.3 µg/L
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Watch Port Perry Lake South Arm’s letter

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Port Perry Lake South Arm is a 187-acre mesotrophic lake in Perry County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Perry County, Port Perry Lake South Arm ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near St. Louis

Get alerts for Port Perry Lake South Arm

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 8.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 39. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)9.5 ftNot graded
Phosphorus8.3 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)2.3 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)39Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area187 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Port Perry Lake South Arm, so its depth is not documented here.

Fishing Port Perry Lake South Arm

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Port Perry Lake South Arm is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Port Perry Dam (completed 1973), built primarily for recreation on the TR NATIONS CREEK; earth-type dam, 70 ft tall and 900 ft long.

Surface area
187 ac
Normal storage
828 ac-ft
Max storage
6,506 ac-ft
Drainage area
3.11 sq mi
Hazard class
High

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30030 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.73 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Perry County

Nearby Lakes in Perry County

Frequently asked questions about Port Perry Lake South Arm

Where is Port Perry Lake South Arm?

Port Perry Lake South Arm is a lake in Perry County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Port Perry Lake South Arm?

Port Perry Lake South Arm in Perry County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Surface area: 187 acres.

Is Port Perry Lake South Arm safe to swim in?

The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Where this data comes from

21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Univ. of Missouri, ColumbiaUMC21 samples · 2024

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
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

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.