Where is Backbone Lake?

Backbone Lake is a lake in Delaware County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.

Backbone Lake

Delaware County, Iowa101 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Iowa DNR for this lake.

Area

101 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

5.9 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Backbone Lake in Delaware County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Surface area: 101 acres.

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Backbone Lake is a 101-acre lake in Delaware County, Iowa.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

No reading

Bacteria advisory

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Backbone Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Backbone Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Backbone Lake

These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Backbone Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Backbone Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

101 acres

Shoreline

5.9 mi

No bathymetric survey has been published for Backbone Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Backbone Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Backbone Lake in Delaware County, Iowa — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Backbone Lake

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Fishing Backbone Lake

→ Backbone Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Backbone Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)

Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 01-MAQ-20 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Delaware County

Backbone Beach Lake0.6 miView →Quaker Mill Pond7.2 miView →Hartwick Lake14.6 miView →Silver Lake Max Depth2.4 ft clear · Hypereutrophic16.8 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Backbone Lake

Where is Backbone Lake?: Backbone Lake is a lake in Delaware County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Backbone Lake?: Backbone Lake in Delaware County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Surface area: 101 acres.
Is Backbone Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Backbone Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.