What is the water quality grade for Lake of Three Fires Max Depth?

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth in Taylor County, Wisconsin received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 58.6 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.

Is Lake of Three Fires Max Depth safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Lake of Three Fires Max Depth has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 58.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth

Taylor County, WisconsinEutrophic

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is a 125-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Taylor County, IA. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Taylor County, Lake of Three Fires Max Depth ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-10-01. 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 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 58.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2 ft	F
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	58.6 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	69	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	125 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Taylor County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Taylor County

More Wisconsin Lake Rankings

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Top 25 by overall water quality score

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Panfish-rich, public access

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Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin

Big Creek Lake

Polk County · Clarity: 2.6 ft

Arrowhead Lake

Pottawattamie County · Clarity: 1.8 ft

White Oak Lake

Mahaska County · Clarity: 1.4 ft

Crystal Lake Max Depth

Hancock County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Hannen Lake

Benton County · Clarity: 1.2 ft

Briggs Woods Lake

Hamilton County · Clarity: 1.5 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

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

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake of Three Fires Dam (completed 1967), built primarily for recreation on the TR-EAST 102 RIVER; earth-type dam, 32 ft tall and 980 ft long.

Surface area: 125 ac
Normal storage: 1,231 ac-ft
Max storage: 2,100 ac-ft
Drainage area: 6.15 sq mi
Hazard class: Significant
Owner: Iowa Department of Natural Resources

All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01058 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthPathogens (E. coli, fecal)pH / acidityTurbidity

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

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 05-PLA-1476 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.58 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: 2024-10-01

Monitoring stations: 1