Meyers Lake
Black Hawk County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #4 of 7 in the county
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Meyers Lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 183.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 116.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.1 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 183.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 116.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Meyers Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Meyers Lake in Black Hawk 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 Meyers Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Meyers Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Meyers Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Meyers Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 18 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Meyers Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Black Hawk County, Meyers Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Meyers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 183.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 116.5 µg/L. TSI 77. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 183.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 116.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 77 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Meyers Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°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 27 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Meyers Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Meyers Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Meyers Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.008 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.35 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +18.55 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Meyers Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 02-CED-463 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Meyers Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Evansdale City Of StpEvansdale · 0.7 mi away · NPDES IA0022004MajorRecent violation
- Elk Run Heights City Of StpElk Run Heights · 1.7 mi away · NPDES IA0034231Recent violation
- Washburn Area-Stp Black Hawk CountyWashburn · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IA0074241Recent violation
- Evansdale, City Of MS4Evansdale · 1.1 mi away · NPDES IA0078654
- Elk Run Heights, City Of MS4Elk Run Heights · 1.6 mi away · NPDES IA0078280
- Raymond, City Of MS4Raymond · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IA0078310
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 7 lakes in Black Hawk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Meyers 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 Black Hawk County
Frequently asked questions about Meyers Lake
Where is Meyers Lake?
- Meyers Lake is a lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Meyers Lake?
- Meyers Lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 183.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 116.5 µg/L.
Is Meyers Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Meyers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Meyers Lake?
- Meyers 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.
How deep is Meyers Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Meyers Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Meyers Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
74 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_WQX74 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)