Whippoorwill Lake
Warren County, Missouri13 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #8 of 16 in the county
- Limited data
Whippoorwill Lake in Warren County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Surface area: 13 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in September
- 78°F
- Area
- 13 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 13.8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Whippoorwill Lake’s letter
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Whippoorwill Lake is a 13-acre mesotrophic lake in Warren County, Missouri. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Warren County, Whippoorwill Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2020-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus 13.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Whippoorwill Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 70 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Whippoorwill Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Whippoorwill Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.063 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.72 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Whippoorwill Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sherman Lake Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the TR CHARETTE CREEK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 13 ac
- Normal storage
- 135 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 230 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 200 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WILLIAM SHERMAN
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO30518 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.93 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 16 lakes in Warren County
Nearby Lakes in Warren County
Frequently asked questions about Whippoorwill Lake
Where is Whippoorwill Lake?
- Whippoorwill Lake is a lake in Warren County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Whippoorwill Lake?
- Whippoorwill Lake in Warren County, Missouri has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Surface area: 13 acres.
Is Whippoorwill Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Whippoorwill Lake?
- Whippoorwill Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September, from 70 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Whippoorwill Lake across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Missouri
Mesotrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
16 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
UMC16 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.