What is the water quality grade for Lake Sugema?

Lake Sugema in Van Buren County, Iowa received a water quality grade of F (Very Poor). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.5 µg/L. Surface area: 574 acres.

Is Lake Sugema safe to swim in?

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins. Lake Sugema has an overall water quality grade of F. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 32.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

Van Buren County, Iowa

Lake Sugema

Grade FVery Poor · 2.3 ft clarity

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Eutrophic

Lake Sugema is a 574-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Van Buren County, Iowa. 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 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Van Buren County, Lake Sugema ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Cedar Rapids →

Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 32.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	2.3 ft	F
Phosphorus	No data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	32.5 µg/L	F
Trophic State Index (TSI)	65	Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Surface Area	574 acres
Public Access	Yes

Where to stay near Lake Sugema

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Sugema in Van Buren 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.

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Fishing Lake Sugema

→ Lake Sugema fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving

Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

Metric	Trend	Change/Year	Years
Water Clarity	↑ Improving	+0.069 m/yr	4
Chlorophyll-a	↑ Improving	-5.22 µg/L/yr	4

See year-by-year chart →

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Water Temperature

Lake Sugema averages about 78°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

—

Feb

—

Mar

—

Apr

—

May

71°

Jun

74°

Jul

82°

Aug

78°

Sep

73°

Oct

—

Nov

—

Dec

—

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Sugema water temperature breakdown →

Location & Depth Map

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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Sugema, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 32 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.

County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Van Buren County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Lake Sugema holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Van Buren County

Lake Darling Max Depth

Washington County

Ottumwa Lagoon Max Depth Lake

Wapello County

Poll Miller Park Lake

Lee County

Explore Lake Sugema across LakeGrade

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Iowa Lake Trips

Where to stay at Iowa's top lakes, each with its grade

Eutrophic Lakes

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

The State of Iowa's Lakes

Iowa's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked

More Iowa Lake Rankings

Cleanest lakes in Iowa

Top 25 by overall water quality score

Clearest lakes in Iowa

Top 25 by Secchi water clarity

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

Family fishing lakes in Iowa

Panfish-rich, public access

All Iowa lakes

Full state directory

Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa

Lake Fisher

Davis County · Clarity: 2 ft

Lake Darling Max Depth

Washington County · Clarity: 1.6 ft

Ottumwa Lagoon Max Depth Lake

Wapello County · Clarity: 0.9 ft

Lake Geode

Des Moines County · Clarity: 2.1 ft

Lake Belva Deer

Keokuk County · Clarity: 2.1 ft

White Oak Lake

Mahaska County · Clarity: 1.4 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa

Lake Fisher Poll Miller Park Lake Lake Wapello Lake Geode

More records, surveys & data sources

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake Sugema is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Sugema Dam (completed 1992), built primarily for recreation on the INDIAN CREEK; earth-type dam, 50 ft tall and 1,530 ft long.

Surface area: 574 ac
Normal storage: 7,350 ac-ft
Max storage: 21,570 ac-ft
Drainage area: 17.66 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: Van Buren County Board of Supervisors

All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply;Flood Risk Reduction.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA02626 · Operator website

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

17 sq mi

Mean depth (est.)

12.1 ft

Shoreline

10 mi

Elevation

699 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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory

Most recent sample: 2024-09-16

Monitoring stations: 1

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