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LakeQuality

Lake Miami Max Depth vs Lake Wapello

Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.

Lake Wapello has a higher water quality grade (C, Fair) than Lake Miami Max Depth (F, Very Poor). Both are in Wisconsin.

Both Lake Miami Max Depth and Lake Wapello sit in Iowa. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any grade differences here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies grading them. Lake Wapello (C) is materially cleaner than Lake Miami Max Depth (F). A gap that wide is unlikely to close in a single year of remediation work; it reflects multi-decade differences in the lakes themselves.

For a recreational visitor, the wider grade gap is decisive — Lake Wapello is the better water-quality choice. For a researcher, the gap is the interesting part: what is different about the two watersheds, and which of those differences is mutable?

F

Lake Miami Max Depth

Monroe County, Wisconsin

Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility.

C

Lake Wapello

Davis County, Wisconsin

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft.

Side-by-Side Metrics

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.

MetricLake Miami Max DepthLake Wapello
Overall GradeF (Very Poor)C (Fair)
Water Clarity1.3 ft7.5 ft
PhosphorusNo dataNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)58.6 µg/L13 µg/L
Maximum Depth--
Surface Area140 acres287 acres
Public AccessUnknownUnknown
Fish Species00
Trophic Statehypereutrophiceutrophic

Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).

Verdict

Lake Wapello wins on overall water quality with a Grade C versus Lake Miami Max Depth's Grade F. Water clarity: 7.5 ft vs 1.3 ft. For fishing diversity, Lake Wapello also leads with 0 species.