Ripley County Lake
Ripley County, Missouri20 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
Ripley County Lake in Ripley County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Surface area: 20 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 84°F
- Area
- 20 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Ripley County Lake’s letter
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Ripley County Lake is a 20-acre mesotrophic lake in Ripley County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Ripley County, Ripley County Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 42. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Ripley County Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 88°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 25 field readings (2015–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ripley County Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Ripley County Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Ripley County Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.355 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.75 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ripley County Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ripley County Lake Dam (completed 1958), built primarily for recreation on the BRIAR CREEK; earth-type dam, 27 ft tall and 880 ft long.
- Surface area
- 20 ac
- Normal storage
- 160 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 206 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 192 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- USDA FS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30053 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Ripley County
Nearby Lakes in Ripley County
Frequently asked questions about Ripley County Lake
Where is Ripley County Lake?
- Ripley County Lake is a lake in Ripley County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Ripley County Lake?
- Ripley County Lake in Ripley County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L. Surface area: 20 acres.
Is Ripley County Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ripley County Lake?
- Ripley County Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2015–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Ripley County Lake across LakeQuality
13.5 mi away · recorded at 82°F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
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Where this data comes from
58 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC58 samples · 2021–2023
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.