Washington Lake
Jackson County, MissouriView mapDirections
Missouri DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Washington Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Limited data
Washington Lake in Jackson County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 116.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.9 µg/L.
Washington Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Washington Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2024-09-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: exceedances
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no 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, Washington Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 54.5% of 11 samples across 4 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.
Whether Washington Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Washington Lake
These are the measurements Missouri DNR publishes for Washington Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 116.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36.9 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 117µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 36.9µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 69 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Washington Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Washington Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Washington Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Washington Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Washington Lake in Jackson 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Washington Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Washington Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Missouri’s top lakes →
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Fishing Washington Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2021–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Worsening+32.47 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+4.59 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Washington Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Kc Westside WwtpKansas City · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MO0024929MajorRecent violation
- Holland Company, Dba M-Bar-DKansas City · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MO0127507
- First Transit Inc #55433Kansas City · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00254
- Pbi Gordon Corp Glp And WarehouseKansas City · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00657
- Pbi Gordon Corp R And D OfficeKansas City · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MONX00656
- Faultless BrandsKansas City · 2 mi away · NPDES MONX01050
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.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Washington Lake
Where is Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Missouri. Its water-quality measurements are published by Missouri DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake in Jackson County, Missouri has water-quality measurements published by Missouri DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 116.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.9 µg/L.
Is Washington Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Washington Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 54.5% of 11 samples across 4 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Washington Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Missouri's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Washington Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Missouri
Other Lakes in Missouri
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- EPA R7
EPA_R7_WQX29 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- Nutrient Analysis
- Chlorophyll a
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Total Nitrogen Calculation
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)