Pleasant Creek Lake is a 410-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Linn County, Iowa. Water quality is graded D 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 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Linn County, Pleasant Creek Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Based on E. coli testing, Pleasant Creek Lake frequently exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 12.6% of 95 samples across 7 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Iowa’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 26.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 26.5 µg/L | D |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 410 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Where to stay near Pleasant Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pleasant Creek Lake in Linn 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.
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Fishing Pleasant Creek Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.02 m/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.63 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Pleasant Creek Lake averages about 79°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 109 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pleasant Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pleasant Creek Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Linn County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Pleasant Creek Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Linn County
Explore Pleasant Creek 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)
Pleasant Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pleasant Creek Lake Dam (completed 1977), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the PLEASANT CREEK; earth-type dam, 73 ft tall and 2,450 ft long.
- Surface area
- 410 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 11,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.88 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA02083 · Operator website
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pleasant Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Nextera Energy Duane Arnold, LlcPalo · 2.3 mi away · NPDES IA0003727MajorRecent violation
- Dnr Pleasant Creek State Recreation AreaPalo · 0.2 mi away · NPDES IA0078433Recent violation
- Dnr Pleasant Creek State Recreation AreaPalo · 0.2 mi away · NPDES IA0078425Recent violation
- Center Point, City Of Stp (South)Center Point · 3.7 mi away · NPDES IA0074420Recent violation
- Shellsburg City Of StpShellsburg · 3.6 mi away · NPDES IA0033332
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2024-08-27
Monitoring stations: 1