Lacey Keosauqua Lake
Van Buren County, Iowa23 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 3 in the county
- Public access
Lacey Keosauqua Lake in Van Buren County, Iowa has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Surface area: 23 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.1 ft
- Typical in September
- 78°F
- Area
- 23 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lacey Keosauqua Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lacey Keosauqua Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 24 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lacey Keosauqua Lake is a 23-acre mesotrophic lake in Van Buren County, Iowa. Water quality is graded A 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 2 other monitored lakes in Van Buren County, Lacey Keosauqua Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.1 ft. Phosphorus 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.7 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Lacey Keosauqua Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 103 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lacey Keosauqua Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 23 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lacey Keosauqua Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lacey Keosauqua Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.254 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -13 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.16 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lacey Keosauqua Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lacey-Keosaqua Park Lake Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for recreation on the TR-DES MOINES; earth-type dam, 47 ft tall and 312 ft long.
- Surface area
- 23 ac
- Normal storage
- 207 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 455 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.18 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01380 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.04 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lacey Keosauqua Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Dnr Lacey Keosauqua State ParkKeosauqua · 1.2 mi away · NPDES IA0081361Recent violation
- Keosauqua City Of StpKeosauqua · 1.6 mi away · NPDES IA0023361Recent violation
- Center Village Care Facility-StpKeosauqua · 4.2 mi away · NPDES IA0076741Recent 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 3 lakes in Van Buren County
Nearby Lakes in Van Buren County
Frequently asked questions about Lacey Keosauqua Lake
Where is Lacey Keosauqua Lake?
- Lacey Keosauqua Lake is a lake in Van Buren County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lacey Keosauqua Lake?
- Lacey Keosauqua Lake in Van Buren County, Iowa has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Surface area: 23 acres.
Is Lacey Keosauqua Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lacey Keosauqua Lake?
- Lacey Keosauqua Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September, from 103 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lacey Keosauqua Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Iowa
Mesotrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
54 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_WQX54 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)