Meadow Lake
Adair County, Iowa42 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #4 of 5 in the county
- Public access
Meadow Lake in Adair County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 53.1 µg/L. Surface area: 42 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.7 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Area
- 42 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Meadow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Meadow Lake in Adair 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Meadow Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Meadow Lake
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Watch Meadow Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Meadow Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 16 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Meadow Lake is a 42-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Adair 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 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Adair County, Meadow Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Meadow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Meadow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 53.1 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 99 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 53.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Meadow Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Sep (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Meadow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 42 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Meadow Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Meadow LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Meadow Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.008 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -1.5 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -5.36 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Meadow Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Meadow Lake Dam (completed 1964), built primarily for recreation on the TR-NORTH TURKEY CREEK; earth-type dam, 39 ft tall and 920 ft long.
- Surface area
- 42 ac
- Normal storage
- 293 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 770 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.31 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00020 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Meadow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-LDM-1089 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Adair County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Meadow Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Adair County
Frequently asked questions about Meadow Lake
Where is Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake is a lake in Adair County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake in Adair County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 53.1 µg/L. Surface area: 42 acres.
Is Meadow Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Meadow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Meadow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Meadow Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
57 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_WQX57 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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory