What is the water quality grade for Hickory Grove Lake?

Hickory Grove Lake in Story County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.1 µg/L. Surface area: 107 acres.

Is Hickory Grove Lake safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Hickory Grove Lake has an overall water quality grade of D. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Hickory Grove Lake

Story County, WisconsinEutrophic

Hickory Grove Lake is a 107-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Story County, IA. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Story County, Hickory Grove Lake ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-08-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 24.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	3.6 ft	D
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	24.1 µg/L	D
Trophic State Index (TSI)	60	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	107 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Story County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Hickory Grove Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Story County

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Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

Storm Lake Max Depth

Buena Vista County · Clarity: 1.7 ft

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Loch Ayr Lake

Ringgold County · Clarity: 2 ft

Nelson Lake

Crawford County · Clarity: 3.8 ft

Lake Minnewashta

Dickinson County · Clarity: 2.8 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Big Creek Lake Storm Lake Max Depth Lost Island Lake Nodaway Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Hickory Grove Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hickory Grove Lake Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the TR-EAST INDIAN CREEK; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 745 ft long.

Surface area: 107 ac
Normal storage: 2,141 ac-ft
Max storage: 3,410 ac-ft
Drainage area: 6.76 sq mi
Hazard class: Significant
Owner: Story County Conservation Board

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01019 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Hickory Grove 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

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 03-SSK-950 · 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: 2024-08-25

Monitoring stations: 1