Brushy Creek Lake
Webster County, Iowa690 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)
- #2 of 2 in the county
Brushy Creek Lake in Webster County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.5 µg/L. Surface area: 690 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.8 ft
- Typical in September
- 69°F
- Area
- 690 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Brushy Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Brushy Creek 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Brushy Creek Lake are listed below.
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Brushy Creek Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 72 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Brushy Creek Lake is a 690-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Webster County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Webster County, Brushy Creek Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C · advisory
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Brushy Creek Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.7% of 30 samples across 3 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 Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 54.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44.5 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 54.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 44.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Brushy Creek Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 107 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Brushy Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 690 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Brushy Creek Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Brushy Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.175 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.95 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8.13 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Brushy Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Brushy Creek Dam (completed 1998), built primarily for recreation on the BRUSHY CREEK; earth-type dam, 100 ft tall and 1,950 ft long.
- Surface area
- 690 ac
- Normal storage
- 19,660 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 31,645 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 88.06 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA03116 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Brushy Creek 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-UDM-1276 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Brushy Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lehigh City Of StpLehigh · 4.2 mi away · NPDES IA0021296Recent violation
- Dnr Brushy Creek St.Park-N.Equestrian CampgroundLehigh · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0074543
- Dnr Brushy Creek St. Park - S.Equestrian CampgroundLehigh · 1.8 mi away · NPDES IA0076945
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Webster County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Brushy Creek Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Webster County
Frequently asked questions about Brushy Creek Lake
Where is Brushy Creek Lake?
- Brushy Creek Lake is a lake in Webster County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Brushy Creek Lake?
- Brushy Creek Lake in Webster County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.5 µg/L. Surface area: 690 acres.
Is Brushy Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Brushy Creek Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.7% of 30 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Brushy Creek Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Iowa's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Brushy Creek Lake?
- Brushy Creek Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 107 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Brushy Creek Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
78 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_WQX78 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)