Harrison County Lake Quality
Iowa, 3 lakes, measured by Iowa DNR
Harrison County has 3 monitored lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. 2 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county's readings sit in the middle of the Iowa range, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow, under 50 feet, which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Willow Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Harrison County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Willow Lake — or check the official Iowa fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Harrison County
3 lakes · 2 ranked on readings, 1 without enough sampling2 lakes ranked on readings · 1 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willow LakeHarrison | 4.8 ft | 35 µg/L | 9.5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | Desoto Bend LakeHarrison | 1 ft | 218 µg/L | 93.4 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| Horseshoe LakeHarrison | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. See data sources.