What is the water quality grade for Gustafson Lake?

Gustafson Lake in Buena Vista County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27 µg/L. Surface area: 9.7 acres.

Is Gustafson Lake safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Gustafson Lake has an overall water quality grade of D. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 27 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Gustafson Lake

Buena Vista County, WisconsinEutrophic

Gustafson Lake is a 10-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Buena Vista County, IA. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Buena Vista County, Gustafson Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2022-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 27 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2.3 ft	F
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	27 µg/L	D
Trophic State Index (TSI)	64	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	9.7 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Buena Vista County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Gustafson Lake holds Grade D. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Buena Vista County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Top 25 by overall water quality score

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

Lost Island Lake

Palo Alto County · Clarity: 2.6 ft

Nodaway Lake

Adair County · Clarity: 2.8 ft

Loch Ayr Lake

Ringgold County · Clarity: 2 ft

Nelson Lake

Crawford County · Clarity: 3.8 ft

Lake Minnewashta

Dickinson County · Clarity: 2.8 ft

Clear Lake

Cerro Gordo County · Clarity: 2.1 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Big Creek Lake Lost Island Lake Nodaway Lake Arrowhead Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Gustafson Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gustafson Lake Dam (completed 1974), built primarily for recreation on the TR-LITTLE SIOUX RIVER; earth-type dam, 49 ft tall and 1,150 ft long.

Surface area: 9.7 ac
Normal storage: 90 ac-ft
Max storage: 176 ac-ft
Drainage area: 0.36 sq mi
Hazard class: Significant
Owner: Iowa Department of Transportation

All listed purposes: Recreation;Other.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA02159 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Gustafson Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)Turbidity

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 06-LSR-1625 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2022-09-12

Monitoring stations: 1