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Randolph County, Missouri · Water Quality Report Card

Thomas Hill Reservoir

D
Grade DPoor
Eutrophic

Thomas Hill Reservoir in Randolph County, Missouri has a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 61 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.2 µg/L.

Clarity
2.3 ft
Mean depth
~65 ft est.
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Improving

Thomas Hill Reservoir is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Randolph County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 65 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Randolph County, Thomas Hill Reservoir ranks #7 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2025-08-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

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Water Quality Grade: D (Poor)

Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 61 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 14.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.3 ft
Phosphorus61 µg/LPoor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)14.2 µg/LFair
Trophic State Index (TSI)62Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Average Depth~65 ft est.

Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Thomas Hill Reservoir.

Where to stay near Thomas Hill Reservoir

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Fishing Thomas Hill Reservoir

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.095 m/yr3
Phosphorus Improving-1.63 µg/L/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Declining+2.99 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #7 of 7 lakes in Randolph County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Thomas Hill Reservoir holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Randolph County

More records, surveys & data sources

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
142 sq mi
Surface area
4,008 acres
Mean depth (modeled estimate)
~65 ft est.
Shoreline
30.2 mi
Elevation
709 ft

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.

Where this data comes from

67 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Univ. of Missouri, ColumbiaUMC64 samples · 2021–2024
  • Missouri Dept. of Natural ResourcesMDNR3 samples · 2025

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
  • Nitrogen and Phosphorus, Total, Whole-water, Alkaline Persulfate Digest
  • Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)

Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion

Most recent sample: 2025-08-14

Monitoring stations: 2

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