Lake Miami Max Depth
Monroe County, Iowa140 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Miami Max Depth in Monroe County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 58.6 µg/L. Surface area: 140 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 75°F
- Max depth
- ~41 ft est.
- Area
- 140 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 132.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 58.6 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Miami Max Depth
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Miami Max Depth in Monroe 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 Miami Max Depth are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Miami Max Depth
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Miami Max Depth, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 18 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lake Miami Max Depth is a 140-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Monroe County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 41 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Miami Max Depth is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Lake Miami Max Depth is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 58.6 µg/L. TSI 73. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 132.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 58.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Lake Miami Max Depth typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Miami Max Depth water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~41 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 140 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Miami Max Depth.
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.
Recreation & Access
- Miami Lake Wildlife AreaPublic
- Miami Lake Wildlife AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Miami Max Depth
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.005 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.34 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Miami Max Depth is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Miami Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the TR-BLUFF CREEK; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 1,178 ft long.
- Surface area
- 140 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,720 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.09 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00807 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.12 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Miami Max Depth 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 04-LDM-1016 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.82 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Monroe County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Miami Max Depth holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Monroe County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Miami Max Depth
Where is Lake Miami Max Depth?
- Lake Miami Max Depth is a lake in Monroe 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 Miami Max Depth?
- Lake Miami Max Depth in Monroe County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 58.6 µg/L. Surface area: 140 acres.
Is Lake Miami Max Depth safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Miami Max Depth is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Miami Max Depth?
- Lake Miami Max Depth typically sits around 75°F at the surface in September, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Miami Max Depth?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Miami Max Depth, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 41 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 140 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Miami Max Depth?
- Lake Miami Max Depth has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Miami Lake Wildlife Area, Miami Lake Wildlife Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Miami Max Depth across LakeQuality
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
63 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_WQX63 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory