Badger Creek Max Depth Lake
Madison County, Iowa276 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Badger Creek Max Depth Lake in Madison County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 149 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 77.7 µg/L. Surface area: 276 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 75°F
- Area
- 276 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 149 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 77.7 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Badger Creek Max Depth Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Badger Creek Max Depth Lake in Madison 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Badger Creek Max Depth Lake are listed below.
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Badger Creek Max Depth Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 16 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is a 276-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Madison County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Madison County, Badger Creek Max Depth Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 149 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 77.7 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 149 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 77.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Badger Creek Max Depth Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Badger Creek Max Depth Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 276 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Badger Creek Max Depth Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Badger Creek Recreation AreaPublic
- Badger Creek Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Badger Creek Max Depth Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.051 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -15.65 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.74 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Badger Creek Watershed Site M-1-A (completed 1980), built primarily for recreation on the BADGER CREEK; earth-type dam, 46 ft tall and 1,720 ft long.
- Surface area
- 276 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,480 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 10,950 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 18.44 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA02026 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.25 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Badger Creek Max Depth 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 04-LDM-1100 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.2 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Madison County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Badger Creek Max Depth Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Madison County
Frequently asked questions about Badger Creek Max Depth Lake
Where is Badger Creek Max Depth Lake?
- Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is a lake in Madison County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Badger Creek Max Depth Lake?
- Badger Creek Max Depth Lake in Madison County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 149 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 77.7 µg/L. Surface area: 276 acres.
Is Badger Creek Max Depth Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Badger Creek Max Depth Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Badger Creek Max Depth Lake?
- Badger Creek Max Depth Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Badger Creek Max Depth Lake?
- Badger Creek Max Depth Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Badger Creek Recreation Area, Badger Creek Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Badger Creek Max Depth Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Iowa's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX62 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- In-Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll
- ISU modification of APHA 2130-B
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory