Safest Lakes to Swim Near Kansas City
Missouri
5 lakes within driving distance of Kansas City, Missouri pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for grade A or B water quality, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
A moderate cluster of 5 graded lakes lies within reach of Kansas City, averaging a grade of B. Weatherby Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weatherby Lake | Platte | A | Low algae | 11.1 mi | 6.2 ft | - |
| 2 | Waukomis Lake | Platte | B | Low algae | 9.4 mi | 4.7 ft | - |
| 3 | Jacomo Lake | Jackson | B | Low algae | 16.2 mi | 3.3 ft | - |
| 4 | Lotawana Lake | Jackson | B | Low algae | 21 mi | 4.6 ft | - |
| 5 | New Olathe Lake | Johnson | B | Limited data | 21.9 mi | 3.4 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.