How deep is Blue Water Lake?

Blue Water Lake reaches a maximum depth of 70.1 metres (230 feet) — a deep dive at its limit. It is a freshwater site rated as advanced difficulty. Depths vary across the site, so plan your profile to your training and verify conditions locally.

Is Blue Water Lake a shore dive or a boat dive?

Blue Water Lake is a shore dive — you can enter from land. The entry is recorded as an easy walk-in. The entry area is recorded as sheltered from surge. No facilities are recorded at the site, and cell service is recorded as good. Entry details and parking notes, where known, are listed in the access section of this page.

Can beginners dive Blue Water Lake?

Blue Water Lake is rated as advanced difficulty, which may not suit new divers. Listed maximum depth is 70.1 metres (230 feet). Access is from shore, with the entry recorded as an easy walk-in. Consider your experience level, conditions, and local guidance before planning.

When is the best time to dive Blue Water Lake?

Not divable at present. Closed indefinitely (since ~2012). Conditions vary, so check the latest reports and forecasts on the dive site page before your trip.

What will I see at Blue Water Lake?

Divers at Blue Water Lake in United States commonly report sightings of Largemouth bass, Bluegill, and Channel catfish. Largemouth bass and Bluegill are recorded as common sightings, while Channel catfish is reported only occasionally. Marine life varies by season and conditions—check the site page for recent diver observations and photos.

Add the first photo

AdvancedShore entry

Blue Water Lake

Q: What hazards are recorded at Blue Water Lake?

SITE CLOSED — former EPA Superfund repository for lead-contaminated mine waste; historically: extreme depth (200+ ft), cold dark water, overhead environments in flooded mine workings and caves, entanglement on submerged structures. Hazards and conditions change, so verify current local information before diving.

Missouri, United StatesDirections

SITE CLOSED70 m (230 ft) depthShore entry

Blue Water Lake at a glance

Blue Water Lake is an advanced shore dive site in Missouri, United States with depths of up to 70.1 m (230 ft). Typically most favorable Jul · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Largemouth bass, Bluegill, and Channel catfish. Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Favorable window now· until 19:00 · sunset 18:26

Wind forecast for this hour · 18:00 · run 18 h ago

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Tap a factor for its source and model point

Site hazards: SITE CLOSED

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Lightest wind: Fri

Mon

6 kn wind (6 kn wind)

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7 kn wind (7 kn wind)

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13 kn wind (13 kn wind)

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10 kn wind (10 kn wind)

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5 kn wind (5 kn wind)

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7 kn wind (7 kn wind)

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6 kn wind (6 kn wind)

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 7:09 · Sunrise 7:36 · Sunset 18:26 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo wind · updated 26 Oct, 00:22 GMT-5

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Blue Water Lake

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Largemouth bass, Bluegill

Best time: Not divable at present.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

January, 87% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 10 knots
February, 86% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 11 knots
March, 72% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 12 knots
April, 61% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 12 knots
May, 84% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 9 knots
June, 90% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 9 knots
July, 99% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 8 knots, historically most favorable
August, 97% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 8 knots
September, 98% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 7 knots
October, 89% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 10 knots
November, 86% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 10 knots
December, 83% of days have historically been favorable, wind has typically been 11 knots

July has typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km (16 mi). Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated June 2026

Site details

A flooded lead-and-zinc mine pit in Oronogo, Missouri, minutes from Joplin, that filled with water after mining ceased in the 1950s. As 'Bluewater Lake,' its 14 acres of clear water reached depths of 200-230 ft — among the deepest inland dives in the Midwest — with training platforms, sunken attractions, flooded mine roads, and caves, run for decades by Captain John's Sports & Scuba. The site closed to diving around 2012 during EPA Superfund remediation of the surrounding mining district, with the pit used to receive lead-contaminated waste.

caveshore

SITE CLOSED — former EPA Superfund repository for lead-contaminated mine waste; historically: extreme depth (200+ ft), cold dark water, overhead environments in flooded mine workings and caves, entanglement on submerged structures.

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