What is the water quality grade for Cameron Lake Nr. Dam?

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam in DeKalb County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52.1 µg/L. Surface area: 177 acres.

Is Cameron Lake Nr. Dam safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Cameron Lake Nr. Dam has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 52.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam

DeKalb County, WisconsinHypereutrophic

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam is a 177-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in DeKalb County, MO. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in DeKalb County, Cameron Lake Nr. Dam ranks #6 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 128.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 52.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	1.6 ft	F
Phosphorus	128.5 µg/L	F
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	52.1 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	71	Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	177 acres

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #6 of 6 lakes in DeKalb County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County

Pony Express Lake

DeKalb County

Buffalo Bill Lake Nr. Access

DeKalb County

Buffalo Bill Lake 0.4 Mi From Dam

DeKalb County

Cameron Lake Deep Site

DeKalb County

King Lake

DeKalb County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Wisconsin

Top 25 by overall water quality score

Best swimming lakes in Wisconsin

Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Wisconsin

Panfish-rich, public access

All Wisconsin lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin

Creve Coeur Lake

St. Louis County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Lake of the Woods-Kc

Jackson County · Clarity: 2 ft

Lake St. Louis by Dam

St. Charles County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Hemitite Lake

St. Francois County · Clarity: 1.1 ft

Blind Pony Lake

Saline County · Clarity: 2.3 ft

Stockton Lake Upstream of Hwy 123 Bridge

Polk County · Clarity: 1.2 ft

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Hemitite Lake Stockton Lake Upstream of Hwy 123 Bridge Dairy Farm Lake No.1 Lake St. Louis Nr. Hwy 40

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Grindstone L-M-C Site A-2 (completed 1990), built primarily for water supply on the GRINDSTONE; earth-type dam, 53 ft tall and 1,700 ft long.

Surface area: 177 ac
Normal storage: 3,274 ac-ft
Max storage: 3,274 ac-ft
Drainage area: 20.91 sq mi
Hazard class: Low
Owner: GRINDSTONE L-M-C WTR SD

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO12228 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Cameron Lake Nr. Dam is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growth

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MO_7384.00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.58 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-09-19

Monitoring stations: 2