Lake Anita
Cass County, Iowa171 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Turbidity
- #2 of 2 in the county
- Public access
Lake Anita in Cass County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.2 µg/L. Surface area: 171 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 70°F
- Area
- 171 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 54 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 42.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Anita
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Anita in Cass 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 Lake Anita are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Anita
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Lake Anita’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Anita, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lake Anita is a 171-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Cass County, Iowa. 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 1 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Lake Anita ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lake Anita never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 8 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Iowa’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42.2 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 54 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 42.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Lake Anita typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 104 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Anita water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 171 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Anita, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Lake Anita
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.113 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +15 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.45 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Anita is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Anita Dam (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the TR-TURKEY CREEK; earth-type dam, 53 ft tall and 1,125 ft long.
- Surface area
- 171 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01336 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Anita is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 05-NSH-1435 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Lake Anita under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Anita City Of StpAnita · 1 mi away · NPDES IA0024520Recent 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 2 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Anita holds Grade F. 3 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 Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Anita
Where is Lake Anita?
- Lake Anita is a lake in Cass County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Anita?
- Lake Anita in Cass County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.2 µg/L. Surface area: 171 acres.
Is Lake Anita safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lake Anita never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 8 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lake Anita has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Iowa's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Anita?
- Lake Anita typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 104 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lake Anita across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX62 samples · 2020–2024
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)