Lower Gar Lake
Dickinson County, IowaView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lower Gar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
Lower Gar Lake in Dickinson County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 71.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.7 µg/L.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Lower Gar Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 6 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Lower Gar Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dickinson County, Iowa. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, Lower Gar Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Lower Gar Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lower Gar Lake 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 Lower Gar Lake
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Lower Gar Lake, 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 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 71.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.7 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 71.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.7µg/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. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lower Gar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lower Gar Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lower Gar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lower Gar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Gar Lake in Dickinson 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 Lower Gar Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lower Gar Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Lower Gar Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.55 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.4 µg/L/yr5 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lower Gar Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District StpMilford · 1.2 mi away · NPDES IA0059765MajorRecent violation
- Iowa Dot Ia 86 Hma Paved ShouldersMilford · 2 mi away · NPDES IA0052357
- Dctb Hwy 86 Trail - Wetland ProjectWahpeton · 2 mi away · NPDES IA0077445
- Derner'S Of Milford, Inc.Milford · 3.7 mi away · NPDES IA0077593
- Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P. - Milford TerminalMilford · 4.6 mi away · NPDES IA0071358
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Gar Lake
Where is Lower Gar Lake?
- Lower Gar Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lower Gar Lake?
- Lower Gar Lake in Dickinson County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 71.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.7 µg/L.
Is Lower Gar Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lower Gar Lake?
- Lower Gar Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Lower Gar Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Iowa
Other Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
54 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_WQX54 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)