Skip to main content
LakeQuality
D
Iowa County, Iowa

Lake Iowa Park Beach

Grade DPoor · 3.4 ft clarity

Find places to stay →
Limited DataEutrophic

Lake Iowa Park Beach is a 92-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Iowa County, Iowa. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Iowa County, Lake Iowa Park Beach ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2023-10-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Watch Lake Iowa Park Beach water quality

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Cedar Rapids

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Trophic State Index: 59.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.4 ftD
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)59Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area92 acres

Where to stay near Lake Iowa Park Beach

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Iowa Park Beach in Iowa 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Lake Iowa Park Beach

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a trip to Lake Iowa Park Beach?

Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Lake Iowa Park Beach — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Iowa’s top lakes →

Fishing Lake Iowa Park Beach

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.097 m/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Declining+3.42 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 7 lakes in Iowa County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Lake Iowa Park Beach holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher grade.

Nearby Lakes in Iowa County

More records, surveys & data sources

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake Iowa Park Beach is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Iowa Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for recreation on the PIG CREEK; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 893 ft long.

Surface area
92 ac
Normal storage
1,110 ac-ft
Max storage
1,950 ac-ft
Drainage area
2.17 sq mi
Hazard class
Significant
Owner
Iowa County Conservation Board

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00520 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.74 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Lake Iowa Park Beach is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthMercuryPathogens (E. coli, fecal)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 02-IOW-677 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.27 km)

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
Mean depth (est.)
14.8 ft
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Elevation
797 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2023-10-04

Monitoring stations: 1

Where to stay near Lake Iowa Park Beach →