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LakeQuality

Red Fox Lake

Warren County, Missouri13 acresView mapDirections

C
Fair

Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.

Water temp
~76°F
Typical for Sep · EPA WQP
Clarity
3.3 ft
Secchi · sampled 2020
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
No reading
Not enough history
  • Eutrophic
  • #12 of 16 in the county
  • Limited data

Red Fox Lake in Warren County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Surface area: 13 acres.

Clarity
3.3 ft
Typical in September
76°F
Area
13 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Phosphorus
40 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a
10.3 µg/L
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Red Fox Lake is a 13-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Warren County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Warren County, Red Fox Lake ranks #12 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2020-09-16. 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 C 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 Red Fox Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.3 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.3 ftNot graded
Phosphorus40 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)10.3 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)57Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Water Temperature

Red Fox Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
60°
May
69°
Jun
77°
Jul
84°
Aug
82°
Sep
76°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 110 field readings (20102020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Red Fox Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area13 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Red Fox Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Fishing Red Fox Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Red Fox Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sherman Lake Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the TR CHARETTE CREEK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall.

Surface area
13 ac
Normal storage
135 ac-ft
Max storage
230 ac-ft
Drainage area
200 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
WILLIAM SHERMAN

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30518 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.72 km)

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

8 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Red Fox Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 6 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

  • Pwsd #2, Wright City South Wwtf
    Wright City · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0140503
    MajorRecent violation
  • Stewart Mhp Wwtf
    Wright City · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MO0119792
    Recent violation
  • Maple Ridge Mhp Wwtp
    Wright City · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MO0105007
    Recent violation
  • Wright City South Wwtf
    Wright City · 3.3 mi away · NPDES MO0023191
    Recent violation
  • Pleasant Oak Mhp Wwtp
    Wright City · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MO0110680
    Recent violation
  • Foristell Interim Wwtp
    Foristell · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MO0116114
    Recent 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 #12 of 16 lakes in Warren County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Red Fox Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

Nearby Lakes in Warren County

Frequently asked questions about Red Fox Lake

Where is Red Fox Lake?

Red Fox Lake is a lake in Warren County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Red Fox Lake?

Red Fox Lake in Warren County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Surface area: 13 acres.

Is Red Fox Lake safe to swim in?

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

What is the water temperature of Red Fox Lake?

Red Fox Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September, from 110 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

Where this data comes from

17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Univ. of Missouri, ColumbiaUMC17 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
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.

Other records on this page

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)