Lake Andes
Charles Mix County, South DakotaView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Limited data
Lake Andes in Charles Mix County, South Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 80 µg/L.
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Watch Lake Andes’s letter
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Why Lake Andes has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Lake Andes, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by SD DANR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Andes is a lake in Charles Mix County, South Dakota.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, SD DANR, last sampled 2023-10-31. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Andes is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Andes
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 80 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 80 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Fishing Lake Andes
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Andes is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit SD-MI-L-ANDES_01 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Andes under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lake Andes, City OfLake Andes · 0.5 mi away · NPDES SD0022004Recent violation
- Southern Missouri Recycling & Waste Management DistrictLake Andes · 2.3 mi away · NPDES SD0028637
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.
Nearby Lakes in Charles Mix County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Andes
Where is Lake Andes?
- Lake Andes is a lake in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Lake Andes?
- Lake Andes in Charles Mix County, South Dakota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Phosphorus: 80 µg/L.
Is Lake Andes safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lake Andes is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Lake Andes across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS South Dakota Water Science Center
USGS-SD7 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus, wu, microKJ ASF, H+
- YSI EXO turbidity sensor, FNU
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)