Fort des Moines Park Pond
Polk County, Iowa12 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #12 of 12 in the county
Fort des Moines Park Pond in Polk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.6 µg/L. Surface area: 11.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.8 ft
- Typical in September
- 76°F
- Area
- 12 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Fort des Moines Park Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fort des Moines Park Pond in Polk 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 Fort des Moines Park Pond are listed below.
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Fort des Moines Park Pond, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 24 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Fort des Moines Park Pond is a 12-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Fort des Moines Park Pond ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 2.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 68 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 32.6 µg/L. TSI 64. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 68 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 32.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Fort des Moines Park Pond typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Jun (about 75°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2018–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fort des Moines Park Pond water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Fort des Moines Park Pond, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Fort des Moines Park Pond
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.055 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +21.26 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -19.75 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fort des Moines Park Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fort Des Moines Park Dam (completed 1977), built primarily for recreation on the TR-NORTH RIVER; earth-type dam, 49 ft tall and 790 ft long.
- Surface area
- 11.6 ac
- Normal storage
- 120 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 240 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.33 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Polk County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01840 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Fort des Moines Park Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Des Moines - Nahas Aquatic CenterDes Moines · 1.6 mi away · NPDES IA0076511Recent violation
- Des Moines International AirportDes Moines · 2.2 mi away · NPDES IA0075931Recent violation
- Wilshire Mobile Home ParkNorwalk · 2.2 mi away · NPDES IA0067903Recent 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 #12 of 12 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Fort des Moines Park Pond holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Fort des Moines Park Pond
Where is Fort des Moines Park Pond?
- Fort des Moines Park Pond is a lake in Polk County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Fort des Moines Park Pond?
- Fort des Moines Park Pond in Polk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 68 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.6 µg/L. Surface area: 11.6 acres.
Is Fort des Moines Park Pond 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 Fort des Moines Park Pond?
- Fort des Moines Park Pond typically sits around 76°F at the surface in September, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Fort des Moines Park Pond across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
61 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX61 samples · 2020–2024
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)