Ingham Lake
Emmet County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
Ingham Lake in Emmet County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 156.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 49.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.4 ft
- Typical in September
- 69°F
- Max depth
- ~45 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ingham Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ingham Lake in Emmet 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 Ingham Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Ingham Lake
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Ingham Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Ingham Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Emmet County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Emmet County, Ingham Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-11. 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. Ingham Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.4 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 156.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 49.7 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 156.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 49.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Ingham Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 69°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 Ingham Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~45 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 Ingham 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 Ingham Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.029 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +28.3 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -9.36 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ingham 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-UDM-1303 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Ingham Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Wallingford City Of StpWallingford · 4.4 mi away · NPDES IA0062812Recent 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 #1 of 2 lakes in Emmet County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Ingham Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Emmet County
Frequently asked questions about Ingham Lake
Where is Ingham Lake?
- Ingham Lake is a lake in Emmet County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Ingham Lake?
- Ingham Lake in Emmet County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 156.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 49.7 µg/L.
Is Ingham Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Ingham Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ingham Lake?
- Ingham Lake typically sits around 69°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 Ingham Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Ingham Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Ingham Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
48 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_WQX48 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)