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LakeQuality
F

Red Haw Lake

Lucas County, WisconsinEutrophic

Red Haw Lake is a 93-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lucas County, IA. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Lucas County, Red Haw Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 30.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.1 ftF
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)30.8 µg/LF
Trophic State Index (TSI)62Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area93 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Lucas County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Red Haw Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Lucas County

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Red Haw Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Red Haw Dam (completed 1934), built primarily for recreation on the TR-LITTLE WHITEBREAST CREEK; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 785 ft long.

Surface area
93 ac
Normal storage
1,040 ac-ft
Max storage
2,200 ac-ft
Drainage area
1.63 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01357 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Red Haw Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-LDM-1073 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-10-02

Monitoring stations: 1