What is the water quality grade for Lake Macbride?

Lake Macbride in Johnson County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of D (Poor). Water clarity: 2.9 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Surface area: 950 acres.

Is Lake Macbride safe to swim in?

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk. Lake Macbride has an overall water quality grade of D. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 28.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Lake Macbride

Johnson County, WisconsinEutrophic

Lake Macbride is a 950-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Johnson County, IA. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Johnson County, Lake Macbride ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 2.9 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 28.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2.9 ft	F
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	28.5 µg/L	D
Trophic State Index (TSI)	63	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	950 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 3 lakes in Johnson County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Lake Macbride holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Johnson County

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Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

Storm Lake Max Depth

Buena Vista County · Clarity: 1.7 ft

Lost Island Lake

Palo Alto County · Clarity: 2.6 ft

Nodaway Lake

Adair County · Clarity: 2.8 ft

Loch Ayr Lake

Ringgold County · Clarity: 2 ft

Nelson Lake

Crawford County · Clarity: 3.8 ft

Lake Minnewashta

Dickinson County · Clarity: 2.8 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Big Creek Lake Storm Lake Max Depth Lost Island Lake Nodaway Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake Macbride is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Macbride Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for recreation on the MILL CREEK; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 900 ft long.

Surface area: 950 ac
Normal storage: 15,750 ac-ft
Max storage: 28,000 ac-ft
Drainage area: 27.1 sq mi
Hazard class: Significant
Owner: Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01352 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Algal growthPathogens (E. coli, fecal)Turbidity

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 02-IOW-630 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.22 km)

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: 2024-08-27

Monitoring stations: 1