Stockton Lake is a 24,900-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cedar County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Cedar County, Stockton Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-07-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No data | |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 24,900 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Stockton Lake
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Fishing Stockton Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.032 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.41 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Cedar County
Nearby Lakes in Cedar County
Explore Stockton Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Missouri's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Missouri's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Missouri
Taney County · Clarity: 13.3 ft
Taney County · Clarity: 12.6 ft
Taney County · Excellent
Audrain County · Clarity: 14.4 ft
Audrain County · Clarity: 14.1 ft
Oregon County · Clarity: 11.7 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Compare Stockton Lake With Nearby Lakes
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Stockton Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Stockton Dam (completed 1969), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the SAC RIVER; rockfill-type dam, 153 ft tall and 6,100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 24,900 ac
- Normal storage
- 892,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,674,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,160 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - Kansas City District
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Other;Irrigation;Navigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30200 · Operator website
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Stockton Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Stockton WwtpStockton · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MO0055280Recent violation
- Hammons Products CompanyStockton · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MO0137669Recent violation
- Agape Boarding School WwtpStockton · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MO0127680Recent violation
- Usace Stockton Power House WwtfStockton · 0.1 mi away · NPDES MO0099244
- Superior Gearbox CoStockton · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MONX00766
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-07-17
Monitoring stations: 1