Arrowhead Lake is a 16-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Pottawattamie County, Arrowhead Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Arrowhead Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 53.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 53.6 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
Where to stay near Arrowhead Lake
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Fishing Arrowhead Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.128 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.2 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Water Temperature
Arrowhead Lake averages about 79°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Sep (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Arrowhead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Arrowhead Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 12 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Pottawattamie County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Arrowhead Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pottawattamie County
Explore Arrowhead Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Arrowhead Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Arrowhead Lake Dam (completed 1959), built primarily for fire protection, stock, or small fish pond on the TR-MOSQUITO CREEK; earth-type dam, 47 ft tall and 615 ft long.
- Surface area
- 15.7 ac
- Normal storage
- 139 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 348 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.63 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Pottawattamie County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00955 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Arrowhead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 06-WED-1702 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Arrowhead Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Neola City Of StpNeola · 1.5 mi away · NPDES IA0021041Recent violation
- Minden City Of StpMinden · 3.4 mi away · NPDES IA0048330Recent violation
- Iowa Dot Rest Area #29 & #30 I80 UnderwoodUnderwood · 4.2 mi away · NPDES IA0068918Recent violation
- Feedlot Service Co.Neola · 2.8 mi away · NPDES IA0053350
- North Ridge FeedlotNeola · 3.2 mi away · NPDES IA0077666
- Tri-Center Community SchoolNeola · 4.6 mi away · NPDES IA0067148
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-09-30
Monitoring stations: 1