What is the water quality grade for Fort des Moines Park Pond?

Fort des Moines Park Pond in Polk County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.6 µg/L. Surface area: 11.6 acres.

Is Fort des Moines Park Pond safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Fort des Moines Park Pond has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 32.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Fort des Moines Park Pond

Polk County, WisconsinEutrophic

Fort des Moines Park Pond is a 12-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, IA. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Fort des Moines Park Pond ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 32.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2.8 ft	F
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	32.6 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	63	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	11.6 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #8 of 12 lakes in Polk County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Fort des Moines Park Pond holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Polk County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin

Arrowhead Lake

Pottawattamie County · Clarity: 1.8 ft

White Oak Lake

Mahaska County · Clarity: 1.4 ft

Crystal Lake Max Depth

Hancock County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Hannen Lake

Benton County · Clarity: 1.2 ft

Briggs Woods Lake

Hamilton County · Clarity: 1.5 ft

Union Grove Lake

Tama County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Storm Lake Max Depth Lost Island Lake Nodaway Lake Arrowhead Lake

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

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-09-18

Monitoring stations: 1