Sugar Creek Lake
Sugar Creek Lake in Randolph County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.3 µg/L. Surface area: 323 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 81°F
- Area
- 323 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Sugar Creek Lake is a 323-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Randolph County, Missouri. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Randolph County, Sugar Creek Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2022-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 50.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 19.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sugar Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sugar Creek Lake in Randolph 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Sugar Creek Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Sugar Creek Lake → · more Missouri lake trips
Water Temperature
Sugar Creek Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 323 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Sugar Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Sugar Creek Lake (Moberly)Public
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sugar Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.017 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.24 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.8 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sugar Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sugar Creek Lake Dam (completed 1957), built primarily for water supply on the SUGAR CREEK; earth-type dam, 49 ft tall and 1,030 ft long.
- Surface area
- 323 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,250 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,748 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 10.55 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- CITY OF MOBERLY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10005 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sugar Creek 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_7166.00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sugar Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Moberly Lds ChurchMoberly · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MO0106551Recent violation
- Omar N Bradley AirportMoberly · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MO0135216
- Jbs Prepared Foods, Inc.Moberly · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MONX00811
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 #1 of 7 lakes in Randolph County
Nearby Lakes in Randolph County
Frequently asked questions about Sugar Creek Lake
Where is Sugar Creek Lake?
- Sugar Creek Lake is a lake in Randolph County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sugar Creek Lake?
- Sugar Creek Lake in Randolph County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.3 µg/L. Surface area: 323 acres.
Is Sugar Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present. Sugar Creek Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 19.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sugar Creek Lake?
- Sugar Creek Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Sugar Creek Lake?
- Sugar Creek Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sugar Creek Lake (Moberly). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sugar Creek Lake across LakeGrade
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Other Grade C Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC24 samples · 2020 - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources
MDNR2 samples · 2022
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 (2)
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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory