Bob White Lake
Wayne County, Iowa104 acresView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bob White Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Turbidity
- Public access
Bob White Lake in Wayne County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 264 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 104 acres.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Bob White Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 8 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Bob White Lake is a 104-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wayne County, Iowa. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Wayne County, Bob White Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bob White Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bob White 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.
Water quality measurements for Bob White Lake
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Bob White Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 0.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 264 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.1 µg/L. TSI 74.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 0.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 264µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 74 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bob White Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bob White Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bob White Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
104 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Iowa DNR
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bob White Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
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Fishing Bob White Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Stable-1.3 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-11.45 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bob White Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bobwhite Lake Dam (completed 1900), built primarily for recreation on the SOUTH FORK CHARITON RIVER; earth-type dam, 27 ft tall and 630 ft long.
- Surface area
- 104 ac
- Normal storage
- 800 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.58 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01384 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bob White Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 05-CHA-1338 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Bob White Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Allerton City Of Stp (North)Allerton · 1.9 mi away · NPDES IA0054054Recent violation
- Blendhouse Allerton LlcAllerton · 2 mi away · NPDES IA0077895Recent violation
- Allerton City Of Stp (South)Allerton · 2.8 mi away · NPDES IA0054046Recent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Wayne County
Frequently asked questions about Bob White Lake
Where is Bob White Lake?
- Bob White Lake is a lake in Wayne County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bob White Lake?
- Bob White Lake in Wayne County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 264 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 104 acres.
Is Bob White Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bob White Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bob White Lake?
- Bob White Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in September, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Bob White Lake?
- Public access to Bob White Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Iowa's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bob White Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
49 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_WQX49 samples · 2021–2024
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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)