Vandalia Community Lake
Audrain County, Missouri38 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Vandalia Community Lake in Audrain County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Area
- 38 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Vandalia Community Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Vandalia Community Lake in Audrain 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 Vandalia Community Lake are listed below.
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Watch Vandalia Community Lake’s letter
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Vandalia Community Lake is a 38-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Audrain County, Missouri. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Audrain County, Vandalia Community Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-08-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Vandalia Community Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Vandalia Community 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 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42 µg/L. TSI 69. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 110 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 42 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Vandalia Community Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2012–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Vandalia Community Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Vandalia Community Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Vandalia Community LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Vandalia Community Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.005 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4.5 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.39 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Vandalia Community Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Vandalia Community Lake Dam (completed 1956), built primarily for recreation on the TR-HICKORY CREEK; earth-type dam, 21 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 38 ac
- Normal storage
- 222 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 427 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 503 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MO DEPT OF CONSERVATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10296 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Vandalia Community 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_7051.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Vandalia Community Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Farber WwtfFarber · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MO0055409Recent violation
- Harbison-Walker Refractories Vandalia PlVandalia · 4.6 mi away · NPDES MO0000710Recent 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 #3 of 3 lakes in Audrain County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Vandalia Community 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.
Nearby Lakes in Audrain County
Frequently asked questions about Vandalia Community Lake
Where is Vandalia Community Lake?
- Vandalia Community Lake is a lake in Audrain County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Vandalia Community Lake?
- Vandalia Community Lake in Audrain County, Missouri has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
Is Vandalia Community Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Vandalia Community 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 Vandalia Community Lake?
- Vandalia Community Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Vandalia Community Lake?
- Vandalia Community Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Vandalia Community Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Vandalia Community 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
72 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC72 samples · 2020–2024
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory