Center Lake
Dickinson County, WisconsinEutrophic
Center Lake is a 287-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dickinson County, IA. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, Center Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-09-09. 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 2.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 39.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.6 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 287 acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 8 lakes in Dickinson County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Center Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- AWest Okoboji LakeDickinson County · 2.5 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → A)
- CUpper Gar LakeDickinson County · 3.1 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CBig Spirit LakeDickinson County · 5.5 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- DEast Okoboji LakeDickinson County · 2.4 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DLake MinnewashtaDickinson County · 3.7 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Center Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Center Lake Outlet Control Structure (completed 2009), built primarily for recreation on the Trib to West Okoboji Lake; earth-type dam, 7 ft tall and 60 ft long.
- Surface area
- 287 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.36 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA03972 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.34 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Center Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 06-LSR-1663 · Official waterbody report
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: 2024-09-09
Monitoring stations: 1