Sterling Price Lake
Chariton County, Missouri35 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Sterling Price Lake in Chariton County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.8 µg/L. Surface area: 35 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 87°F
- Area
- 35 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 128.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 78.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Sterling Price Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sterling Price Lake in Chariton 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 Sterling Price Lake are listed below.
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Sterling Price Lake is a 35-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Chariton County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Chariton County, Sterling Price Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2022-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Sterling Price Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 78.8 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 128.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 78.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Sterling Price Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 87°F) and coldest in Jun (about 83°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sterling Price Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sterling Price Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Sterling Price Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.05 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -39.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +4.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sterling Price Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sterling Price Lake Dam (completed 1958), built primarily for recreation on the TR-PUZZLE CREEK; earth-type dam, 21 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 35 ac
- Normal storage
- 187 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 393 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 410 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10103 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sterling Price 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_7149.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.22 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sterling Price Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Salisbury S 2.4 Ac LagoonSalisbury · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MO0025321Recent violation
- Salisbury WwtfSalisbury · 2.9 mi away · NPDES MO0025313Recent violation
- Bha Altair, LlcSalisbury · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00709
- Salisbury Wastewater Treatment PlantSalisbury · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MO0056634
- Parker-Hannifin CorporationSalisbury · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00788
- Salisbury Circleview SubdSalisbury · 3.4 mi away · NPDES MO0087874
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 #3 of 3 lakes in Chariton County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Sterling Price 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 Chariton County
Frequently asked questions about Sterling Price Lake
Where is Sterling Price Lake?
- Sterling Price Lake is a lake in Chariton County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sterling Price Lake?
- Sterling Price Lake in Chariton County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 78.8 µg/L. Surface area: 35 acres.
Is Sterling Price Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sterling Price Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sterling Price Lake?
- Sterling Price Lake typically sits around 87°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Sterling Price 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
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC40 samples · 2021–2022
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)