Badger Lake is a 50-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Webster 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. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Webster County, Badger Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 2.8 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 33.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 33.3 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Badger Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Badger Lake in Webster 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.
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Fishing Badger Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.15 m/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -5.78 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Water Temperature
Badger Lake averages about 74°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Aug (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Badger Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Badger 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 2 lakes in Webster County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Badger Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Webster County
Explore Badger 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)
Badger Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Badger Lake Dam (completed 1963), built primarily for recreation on the BADGER CREEK; earth-type dam, 35 ft tall and 593 ft long.
- Surface area
- 50 ac
- Normal storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 865 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 19 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Webster County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01156 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Badger Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-UDM-1291 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Badger Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Badger City Of StpBadger · 2.7 mi away · NPDES IA0029041Recent violation
- United States Gypsum CompanyFort Dodge · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IA0062359Recent violation
- Elanco Fort DodgeFort Dodge · 4.5 mi away · NPDES IA0070661Recent 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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-09-19
Monitoring stations: 1