Avenue of the Saints Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Bremer County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Avenue of the Saints 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 1.2 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 89.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 89.7 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Avenue of the Saints Lake
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Fishing Avenue of the Saints Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.065 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7.9 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Avenue of the Saints Lake averages about 77°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Avenue of the Saints Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Avenue of the Saints Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 16 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Bremer County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Avenue of the Saints Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- DMitchell LakeBlack Hawk County · 19.7 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DFisher LakeBlack Hawk County · 13.6 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DGreen Belt LakeBlack Hawk County · 17.6 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Bremer County
Explore Avenue of the Saints Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Avenue of the Saints 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 02-SHL-1790 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
7 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Avenue of the Saints Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 6 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Waverly City Of StpWaverly · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IA0033197MajorRecent violation
- Shell Rock City Of StpShell Rock · 2.3 mi away · NPDES IA0033359Recent violation
- Wartburg CollegeWaverly · 3 mi away · NPDES IA0071714Recent violation
- Waverly Municipal Fire DepartmentWaverly · 3.4 mi away · NPDES IA0080268Recent violation
- Poet Biorefining - Shell Rock, LlcShell Rock · 4.4 mi away · NPDES IA0081272Recent violation
- Shell Rock Soy Processing LlcShell Rock · 4.6 mi away · NPDES IA0053366Recent violation
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
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2024-10-28
Monitoring stations: 1