Indian Lake
Van Buren County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Turbidity
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Indian Lake in Van Buren County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 158 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 89.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 78°F
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 158 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 89.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Indian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Indian Lake in Van Buren 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 Indian Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Indian Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Indian Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Indian Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Indian Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Van Buren County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Van Buren County, Indian Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-16. 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. Indian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 158 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 89.1 µg/L. TSI 75. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 158 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 89.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Indian Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in May (about 75°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Indian Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Indian Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Indian Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.001 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.3 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +16.94 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Indian 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 IA 04-LDM-1007 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Indian Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Farmington City Of StpFarmington · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0060313Recent 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 #2 of 3 lakes in Van Buren County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Indian Lake holds Grade F. 2 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 Van Buren County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake
Where is Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake is a lake in Van Buren County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake in Van Buren County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 158 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 89.1 µg/L.
Is Indian Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Indian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Indian Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Indian Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Indian Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
49 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX49 samples · 2021–2024
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)