Hiawatha City Lake
Brown County, KansasView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Limited data
Hiawatha City Lake in Brown County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 93 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 135 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 93 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hiawatha City Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hiawatha City Lake in Brown County, Kansas — 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 Hiawatha City Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hiawatha City Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Kansas’s top lakes →
Watch Hiawatha City Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Hiawatha City Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Brown County, Kansas. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2017. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Brown County, Hiawatha City Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, KDHE, last sampled 2017-08-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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. Hiawatha City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 93 µg/L. TSI 72. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 135 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 93 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Fishing Hiawatha City Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.145 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +10 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +18.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hiawatha City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the (completed 1933), built primarily for water supply on the North Fork Wolf River-Tr, 28 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 60 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 80 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- HIAWATHA, CITY OF
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID KS02457 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Hiawatha City Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit KS-LM011601 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Brown County
Nearby Lakes in Brown County
Frequently asked questions about Hiawatha City Lake
Where is Hiawatha City Lake?
- Hiawatha City Lake is a lake in Brown County, Kansas. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Hiawatha City Lake?
- Hiawatha City Lake in Brown County, Kansas has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 93 µg/L.
Is Hiawatha City Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Hiawatha City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Hiawatha City Lake across LakeQuality
More Kansas Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Kansas
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Kansas
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2013–2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Kansas Department Of Health And Environment
21KAN001_WQX10 samples · 2013–2017
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk depth
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database