Lake Icaria
Adams County, WisconsinEutrophic
Lake Icaria is a 700-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Adams County, IA. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Adams County, Lake Icaria ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 2.7 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 30.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.7 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 30.8 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 700 acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Adams County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Lake Icaria holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- CMormon Trail LakeAdair County · 14.8 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- DBinder LakeAdams County · 3.8 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Adams County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Icaria is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr) (completed 1974), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the KEMP CREEK; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 1,310 ft long.
- Surface area
- 700 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,650 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 25,310 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 28 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Adams County SWCD
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00077 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.13 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Icaria 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 05-NOD-1398 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-09-30
Monitoring stations: 1