Nodaway Lake is a 27-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Adair County, Iowa. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Adair County, Nodaway Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 27.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.8 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 27.6 µg/L | D |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 27 acres |
Where to stay near Nodaway Lake
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Fishing Nodaway Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.009 m/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.9 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Water Temperature
Nodaway Lake averages about 78°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 80°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 26 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nodaway Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Nodaway Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 22 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in Adair County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Nodaway Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Adair County
Explore Nodaway Lake across LakeGrade
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nodaway Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nodaway Lake Dam (completed 1936), built primarily for water supply on the TR-MIDDLE NODAWAY RIVER; earth-type dam, 35 ft tall and 650 ft long.
- Surface area
- 27 ac
- Normal storage
- 290 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 550 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Greenfield Municipal Utilities
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01331 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nodaway 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 05-NOD-1401 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Nodaway Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fontanelle City Of StpFontanelle · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IA0041840Recent violation
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2024-09-29
Monitoring stations: 1