Dog Creek Lake is a 29-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in O'Brien County, Iowa. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in O'Brien County, Dog Creek Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Dog Creek Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 25 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 25 µg/L | D |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 29 acres |
Where to stay near Dog Creek Lake
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Fishing Dog Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.18 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Water Temperature
Dog Creek Lake averages about 73°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Jun (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dog Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Dog Creek Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in O'Brien County
Nearby Lakes in O'Brien County
Explore Dog Creek Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Dog Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Dog Creek Dam (completed 1967), built primarily for other on the DOG CREEK; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 1,150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 29.3 ac
- Normal storage
- 293 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 918 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.86 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- OBrien County Conservation Board
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00833 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Dog Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Sutherland City Of StpSutherland · 2.6 mi away · NPDES IA0036129Recent violation
- Ocrws South Water Treatment PlantSutherland · 1 mi away · NPDES IA0052702
- Deer Run RanchSutherland · 2.5 mi away · NPDES IA0079618
- Rtcp Farm Partnership (Spring Valley Ranch)Sutherland · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IA0079065
- Calumet City Of StpCalumet · 4.6 mi away · NPDES IA0062049
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-09-09
Monitoring stations: 1