Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
Taylor County, Iowa125 acresView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake of Three Fires Max Depth. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
Lake of Three Fires Max Depth in Taylor County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 89 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 58.6 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake of Three Fires Max Depth, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 22 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is a 125-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Taylor County, Iowa. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. 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, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria advisory
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pH / acidity, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is safe to swim in today is a call for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Lake of Three Fires Max Depth, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 89 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 58.6 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 89µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 58.6µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 69 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake of Three Fires Max Depth typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (71°F) to its warmest (83°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake of Three Fires Max Depth water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
125 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Iowa DNR
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake of Three Fires Max Depth, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of Three Fires Max Depth in Taylor 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake of Three Fires Max Depth are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
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Fishing Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2021–2024).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+47.4 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-6.41 µg/L/yr4 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 05-PLA-1476 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Taylor County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of Three Fires Max Depth
Where is Lake of Three Fires Max Depth?
- Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is a lake in Taylor County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake of Three Fires Max Depth?
- Lake of Three Fires Max Depth in Taylor County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 89 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 58.6 µg/L. Surface area: 125 acres.
Is Lake of Three Fires Max Depth safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, pathogens (E. coli, fecal), pH / acidity, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake of Three Fires Max Depth?
- Lake of Three Fires Max Depth typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Lake of Three Fires Max Depth?
- Public access to Lake of Three Fires Max Depth is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Iowa's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake of Three Fires Max Depth across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
54 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX54 samples · 2021–2024
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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database