Stockton Lake
Cedar County, Missouri24,900 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #2 of 3 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Stockton Lake in Cedar County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7 µg/L. Surface area: 24900 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.8 ft
- Typical in September
- 79°F
- Area
- 24,900 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 9.8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 7 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stockton Lake is a 24,900-acre mesotrophic lake in Cedar County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Cedar County, Stockton Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2020-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Stockton Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water24,900 acres
Stockton Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Stockton Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Stockton Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 281 samples across 8 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Missouri’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.8 ft. Phosphorus 9.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 06918990 (Stockton Lake Near Stockton, MO). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Water Temperature
Stockton Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 83°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 86°F) and coldest in Apr (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 45 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stockton Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 24,900 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Stockton Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- UmberlandPublic
- Hawker PointPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Stockton Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
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
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 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.
- Mdnr Stockton State Park WwtfDadeville · 1 mi away · NPDES MO0135933Recent violation
- American Resort Subdivision WwtfStockton · 3.5 mi away · NPDES MO0093220Recent violation
- Pleasant View Estates Hoa WwtfStockton · 3.8 mi away · NPDES MO0119628Recent 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 #2 of 3 lakes in Cedar County
Nearby Lakes in Cedar County
Frequently asked questions about Stockton Lake
Where is Stockton Lake?
- Stockton Lake is a lake in Cedar County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Stockton Lake?
- Stockton Lake in Cedar County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7 µg/L. Surface area: 24900 acres.
Is Stockton Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Stockton Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 281 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Stockton Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Missouri's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Stockton Lake?
- Stockton Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in September, from 45 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What is the water level at Stockton Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Stockton Lake is 874.51 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 06918990. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Stockton Lake?
- Stockton Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Umberland, Hawker Point. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Stockton Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade C Lakes in Missouri
Mesotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC24 samples · 2020
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory