Binder Lake is a 79-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Adams County, Iowa. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Adams County, Binder Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2022-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 24.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.5 µg/L | D |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 79 acres |
Where to stay near Binder Lake
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Fishing Binder Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.2 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -31.6 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Water Temperature
Binder Lake averages about 77°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2018–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Binder Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Binder 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 Adams County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Binder Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Adams County
Explore Binder Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Binder Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Binder Lake Dam (completed 1942), built primarily for water supply on the TR-EAST NODAWAY; earth-type dam, 35 ft tall and 711 ft long.
- Surface area
- 79.4 ac
- Normal storage
- 990 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.34 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Corning Municipal Utilities
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01332 · Operator website
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 Binder Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Corning City Of StpCorning · 2.2 mi away · NPDES IA0027375Recent violation
- Corning Municipal Utilities Water Treatment PlantCorning · 1.1 mi away · NPDES IA0076759
- Adams County Care Facility StpCorning · 1.7 mi away · NPDES IA0065722
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2022-09-07
Monitoring stations: 1