Shelbyville Lake is a 30-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Shelby County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Shelby County, Shelbyville Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 252.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 112.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 80.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 252.5 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 112.4 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 80 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 30 acres |
Where to stay near Shelbyville Lake
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Fishing Shelbyville Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.12 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +81.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +29.6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Water Temperature
Shelbyville Lake averages about 83°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shelbyville Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Shelby County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Shelbyville Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- CMark Twain LakeMonroe County · 25.7 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CMark Twain Lake Indian Creek ArmRalls County · 26.4 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- DHunnewell LakeShelby County · 12.2 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DLong Branch Lk. LakeMacon County · 24.8 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DHenry Sever LakeKnox County · 14.3 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Shelby County
Explore Shelbyville Lake across LakeGrade
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
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Shelbyville Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Shelbyville Lake Dam (completed 1956), built primarily for recreation on the TR-BLACK CREEK; earth-type dam, 16 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 30 ac
- Normal storage
- 97 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 257 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,158 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF SHELBYVILLE
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10028 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Shelbyville 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_7036.00 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Shelbyville Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Shelbyville WwtfShelbyville · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MO0054704Recent violation
- Bethel WwtfBethel · 4.9 mi away · NPDES MO0110001Recent 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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2023-08-02
Monitoring stations: 1