Fogle Lake
Ringgold County, Iowa42 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Fogle Lake in Ringgold County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 55 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.3 µg/L. Surface area: 41.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Area
- 42 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 55 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 31.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Fogle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fogle Lake in Ringgold 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 Fogle Lake are listed below.
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Watch Fogle Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Fogle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 24 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Fogle Lake is a 42-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Ringgold County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Ringgold County, Fogle Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Fogle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 55 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 31.3 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 55 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Fogle Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Sep (about 71°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 Fogle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 42 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Fogle Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Fogle LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Fogle Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.06 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.95 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -5.06 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fogle Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fogle Lake Dam (completed 1996), built primarily for recreation on the TR- GRAND RIVER; earth-type dam, 36 ft tall and 810 ft long.
- Surface area
- 41.5 ac
- Normal storage
- 378 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 679 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.85 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA03152 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Fogle Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Diagonal City Of StpDiagonal · 0.6 mi away · NPDES IA0063401Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Ringgold County
Nearby Lakes in Ringgold County
Frequently asked questions about Fogle Lake
Where is Fogle Lake?
- Fogle Lake is a lake in Ringgold County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Fogle Lake?
- Fogle Lake in Ringgold County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 55 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.3 µg/L. Surface area: 41.5 acres.
Is Fogle Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Fogle Lake?
- Fogle Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Fogle Lake?
- Fogle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fogle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fogle Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
54 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_WQX54 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory