Rocky Fork Lake
Boone County, Missouri55 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #9 of 10 in the county
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
Rocky Fork Lake in Boone County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.1 µg/L. Surface area: 55 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 82°F
- Max depth
- ~31 ft est.
- Area
- 55 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Rocky Fork Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rocky Fork Lake in Boone 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 Rocky Fork Lake are listed below.
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Rocky Fork Lake is a 55-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Boone County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Boone County, Rocky Fork Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Rocky Fork Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 73.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 38.1 µg/L. TSI 66. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 73.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 38.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Rocky Fork Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 75°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2013–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rocky Fork Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~31 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 55 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Rocky Fork Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Rocky Fork Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.106 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.49 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.9 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rocky Fork Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rocky Fork Creek Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for other on the ROCKY FORK CREEK; earth-type dam, 15 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 55 ac
- Normal storage
- 275 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 441 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 55 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10844 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.13 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
34 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Rocky Fork Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 17 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Bcrsd Kinkade Crossing WwtpColumbia · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MO0133515Recent violation
- Bcrsd Richardson Acres WwtfHallsville · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MO0115185Recent violation
- Hillcrest Residential Care WwtpColumbia · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MO0118303Recent violation
- Wagon Wheel Mhc WwtfColumbia · 2.9 mi away · NPDES MO0120286Recent violation
- Bcrsd, County Downes WwtfColumbia · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MO0096938Recent violation
- Bcrsd Brown Station WwtpColumbia · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MO0135305Recent 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 #9 of 10 lakes in Boone County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Rocky Fork Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Boone County
Frequently asked questions about Rocky Fork Lake
Where is Rocky Fork Lake?
- Rocky Fork Lake is a lake in Boone County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Rocky Fork Lake?
- Rocky Fork Lake in Boone County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.1 µg/L. Surface area: 55 acres.
Is Rocky Fork Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Rocky Fork Lake?
- Rocky Fork Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2013–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rocky Fork Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Rocky Fork Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 55 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Rocky Fork Lake?
- Rocky Fork Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rocky Fork Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Missouri
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC30 samples · 2022–2023
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.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory