Lake Fisher
Davis County, Iowa87 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 28 ft max depth
Lake Fisher in Davis County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 30.2 µg/L. Surface area: 87 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Max depth
- ~28 ft est.
- Area
- 87 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 85 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 30.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Fisher
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Fisher in Davis 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 Fisher are listed below.
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Watch Lake Fisher’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Fisher, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 21 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lake Fisher is a 87-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Davis County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 28 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Davis County, Lake Fisher ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-09. 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 30.2 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 85 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 30.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 87 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Lake Fisher.
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 Lake Fisher
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.17 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +51 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Fisher is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Fisher Dam (completed 1937), built primarily for water supply on the TR-FOX RIVER; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 820 ft long.
- Surface area
- 87 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,128 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,166 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.25 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Bloomfield
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01339 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Fisher under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Bloomfield City Of Stp (Main)Bloomfield · 2.1 mi away · NPDES IA0047929MajorRecent violation
- Drakesville, City Of (Rathbun Regional Water Assoc.)Drakesville · 2.5 mi away · NPDES IA0075612Recent 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 Davis County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Fisher 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 Davis County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Fisher
Where is Lake Fisher?
- Lake Fisher is a lake in Davis 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 Fisher?
- Lake Fisher in Davis County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 85 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 30.2 µg/L. Surface area: 87 acres.
Is Lake Fisher safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Fisher?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Fisher, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 28 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 87 acres.
Explore Lake Fisher across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX35 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)