Casey Lake
Tama County, Iowa39 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #3 of 3 in the county
- 36 ft max depth
Casey Lake in Tama County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 113 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 95.5 µg/L. Surface area: 39.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Max depth
- ~36 ft est.
- Area
- 39 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 113 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 95.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Casey Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Casey Lake in Tama 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 Casey Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Casey Lake
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Watch Casey Lake’s letter
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Casey Lake is a 39-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Tama County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 36 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Tama County, Casey Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2023-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Casey Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Casey Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 113 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 95.5 µg/L. TSI 74. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 113 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 95.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Casey Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Casey Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~36 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 39 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Casey Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Casey Lake
- Hickory Hills Park Campground0.2 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Casey Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.006 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -27.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -18.05 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Casey Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hickory Hills Recreation Dam (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the TR-WOLF CREEK; earth-type dam, 29 ft tall and 1,030 ft long.
- Surface area
- 39.2 ac
- Normal storage
- 363 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 760 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.27 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Black Hawk County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01030 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Casey 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 02-CED-531 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.37 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Casey Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Hickory Hills ParkLa Porte City · 0.2 mi away · NPDES IA0066940
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 #3 of 3 lakes in Tama County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Casey Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Tama County
Frequently asked questions about Casey Lake
Where is Casey Lake?
- Casey Lake is a lake in Tama County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Casey Lake?
- Casey Lake in Tama County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 113 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 95.5 µg/L. Surface area: 39.2 acres.
Is Casey Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Casey Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Casey Lake?
- Casey Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Casey Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Casey Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 36 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 39.2 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Casey Lake?
- Casey Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Hickory Hills Park Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Casey Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
45 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX45 samples · 2020–2023
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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles