Mitchell Lake
Black Hawk County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 7 in the county
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
Mitchell Lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in September
- 71°F
- Max depth
- ~21 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 40.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 18.7 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Mitchell Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 55 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Mitchell Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 21 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Black Hawk County, Mitchell Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Mitchell 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Mitchell Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 18.7 µg/L. TSI 61. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Mitchell Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°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 Mitchell Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~8 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 Mitchell 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.
Recreation & Access
- Riverview ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Mitchell 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: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.085 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.35 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Mitchell 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 · Matched by proximity (2.57 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Mitchell Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Waterloo City Of StpWaterloo · 0.5 mi away · NPDES IA0042650MajorRecent violation
- Covenant Medical CenterWaterloo · 1.9 mi away · NPDES IA0077437Recent violation
- Waterloo Residential Correction FacilityWaterloo · 1.7 mi away · NPDES IA0072290
- Waterloo, City Of MS4Waterloo · 1.9 mi away · NPDES IA0078301
- Flowers Baking Co. Of Waterloo, LlcWaterloo · 2 mi away · NPDES IA0062863
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 #1 of 7 lakes in Black Hawk County
Nearby Lakes in Black Hawk County
Frequently asked questions about Mitchell Lake
Where is Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake is a lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake in Black Hawk County, Iowa has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.7 µg/L.
Is Mitchell Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Mitchell 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 Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell 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.
How deep is Mitchell Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Mitchell Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 21 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Riverview Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Mitchell Lake across LakeQuality
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Other Grade C Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
78 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_WQX78 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory