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LakeQuality

Lpinelk T Lake

Hardin County, Iowa85 acresView mapDirections

NR
Not rated

Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
1.3 ft
Secchi · sampled 2023
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Improving
5 years of samples
  • Impaired · Algal growth
  • Limited data

Lpinelk T Lake in Hardin County, Iowa is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 85 acres.

Clarity
1.3 ft
Area
85 acres
Trend
Improving
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Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lpinelk T Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lpinelk T Lake in Hardin 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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Watch Lpinelk T Lake’s letter

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Why Lpinelk T Lake has no grade

Lpinelk T Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Lpinelk T Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 1.3-foot median from 2 readings collected 2023 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.

Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by Iowa DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Lpinelk T Lake is a 85-acre lake in Hardin County, Iowa. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2023-09-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Bacteria advisory

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lpinelk T Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.

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Water quality measurements for Lpinelk T Lake

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. TSI 73.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)1.3 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)73Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area85 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Lpinelk T Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Fishing Lpinelk T Lake

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.034 m/yr5
Phosphorus Improving-13.8 µg/L/yr4
Chlorophyll-a Declining+11.78 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lpinelk T Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lower Pine Lake Dam (completed 1922), built primarily for recreation on the PINE CREEK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall and 450 ft long.

Surface area
85 ac
Normal storage
360 ac-ft
Max storage
924 ac-ft
Drainage area
15.47 sq mi
Hazard class
Significant
Owner
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

All listed purposes: Recreation;Other.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01346 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.47 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Lpinelk T Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Algal growthPathogens (E. coli, fecal)

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

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 02-IOW-758 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.28 km)

Graded lakes near Lpinelk T Lake

Lpinelk T Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Hardin County

Frequently asked questions about Lpinelk T Lake

Where is Lpinelk T Lake?

Lpinelk T Lake is a lake in Hardin County, Iowa. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).

What is the water quality grade for Lpinelk T Lake?

Lpinelk T Lake in Hardin County, Iowa is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 85 acres.

Is Lpinelk T Lake safe to swim in?

The letter is not a swimming clearance. Lpinelk T Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.

Where this data comes from

2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data21IOWA_WQX2 samples · 2023

Analytical methods

  • Unknown
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