Black Hawk Beach Lake
Sac County, IowaView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Black Hawk Beach Lake in Sac County, Iowa is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Black Hawk Beach Lake’s letter
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Why Black Hawk Beach Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Black Hawk Beach Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Iowa DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Black Hawk Beach Lake is a lake in Sac County, Iowa. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Black Hawk Beach Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Not ratedBacteria D · advisory
Based on E. coli testing, Black Hawk Beach Lake frequently exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 13.2% of 91 samples across 7 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Iowa’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water quality measurements for Black Hawk Beach Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Recreation & Access
- Drillings PointPublic
- Black Hawk State ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Black Hawk Beach Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.008 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4.9 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8.26 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Black Hawk Beach Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-RAC-1134 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.04 km)
Graded lakes near Black Hawk Beach Lake
Black Hawk Beach Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Sac County
Frequently asked questions about Black Hawk Beach Lake
Where is Black Hawk Beach Lake?
- Black Hawk Beach Lake is a lake in Sac County, Iowa. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Black Hawk Beach Lake?
- Black Hawk Beach Lake in Sac County, Iowa is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Black Hawk Beach Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Black Hawk Beach Lake frequently exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 13.2% of 91 samples across 7 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of D — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Black Hawk Beach Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Iowa's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Black Hawk Beach Lake?
- Black Hawk Beach Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Drillings Point, Black Hawk State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Black Hawk Beach Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
45 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX45 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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