Pierce Creek Lake is a 38-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Page County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Pierce Creek Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 39.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.2 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.1 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
Where to stay near Pierce Creek Lake
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Fishing Pierce Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.021 m/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.02 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Water Temperature
Pierce Creek Lake averages about 80°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Sep (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pierce Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pierce Creek Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 9 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Page County
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Explore Pierce Creek Lake across LakeGrade
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Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pierce Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pierce Creek No 1 Watershed Site 10 (completed 1969), built primarily for fire protection, stock, or small fish pond on the TR-EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER; earth-type dam, 42 ft tall and 963 ft long.
- Surface area
- 38 ac
- Normal storage
- 332 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,242 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.53 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Page County Conservation Board
All listed purposes: Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00841 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.08 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Pierce Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 05-NSH-1416 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pierce Creek 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.
- Shenandoah City Of StpShenandoah · 4.9 mi away · NPDES IA0032328MajorRecent violation
- Essex City Of StpEssex · 2.5 mi away · NPDES IA0026603Recent violation
- Shenandoah, City Of WtpShenandoah · 4.3 mi away · NPDES IA0079081
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: 2024-10-01
Monitoring stations: 1