Central Park Lake is a 25-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jones County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Jones County, Central Park Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2023-07-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 25 acres |
Where to stay near Central Park Lake
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Fishing Central Park Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.254 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.47 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Central Park Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 16 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Jones County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Central Park Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
Nearby Lakes in Jones County
Explore Central Park Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
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
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2023-07-17
Monitoring stations: 1