Central Park Lake
Jones County, Iowa25 acresView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Central Park Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
Central Park Lake in Jones County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.2 µg/L. Surface area: 25 acres.
Central Park Lake is a 25-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jones County, Iowa. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-08-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Central Park 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 Central Park Lake
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Central Park 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 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23.2 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 59µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 23.2µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Central Park Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Central Park Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Central Park Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
25 acres
No bathymetric survey has been published for Central Park Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Central Park Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Central Park Lake in Jones 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Central Park Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Central Park Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Iowa’s top lakes →
Follow Central Park Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Central Park Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+74.25 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.47 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Central Park Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Central Park Lake Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the TR-MINERAL CREEK; earth-type dam, 23 ft tall and 665 ft long.
- Surface area
- 25 ac
- Normal storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 481 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.62 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Jones County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00561 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Central Park Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Center Junction, City Of StpCenter Junction · 3.3 mi away · NPDES IA0080357Recent 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 Jones County
Frequently asked questions about Central Park Lake
Where is Central Park Lake?
- Central Park Lake is a lake in Jones County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Central Park Lake?
- Central Park Lake in Jones County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.2 µg/L. Surface area: 25 acres.
Is Central Park Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Central Park Lake?
- Central Park Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Central Park Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Iowa
Other Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
53 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_WQX53 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)