Rice Lake is a lake in Winnebago County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Rice Lake?

Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 891 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?

Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake Wildlife Area, Rice Lake Wildlife Area. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Rice Lake?

Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Iowa's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Rice Lake

Winnebago County, Iowa891 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Iowa DNR for this lake.

Max depth

10 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

891 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

10.5 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Algal growth
10 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Rice Lake in Winnebago County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 891 acres.

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Rice Lake is a 891-acre lake in Winnebago County, Iowa with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Rice Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps

Swimming conditions

No reading

Recreation use not supported

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Rice Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Rice Lake

These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Rice Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Rice Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

10 ft

Surface area

891 acres

Shoreline

10.5 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Iowa DNR

The depth above comes from a bathymetric survey of this lake, not from a regional estimate.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Rice Lake Wildlife AreaPublic
Rice Lake Wildlife AreaPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

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Stays near Rice Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rice Lake in Winnebago 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Rice Lake

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Fishing Rice Lake

→ Rice Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Algal growthpH / acidity

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 02-WIN-832 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Winnebago County

Harmon Lake11.3 miView →Silver Lake7.6 miView →Mallard Marsh Swamp10.4 miView →Mcintosh Woods Beach Lake—View →Clear Lake2.1 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Crystal Lake Max Depth1.6 ft clear · Hypereutrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake

Where is Rice Lake?: Rice Lake is a lake in Winnebago County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rice Lake?: Rice Lake in Winnebago County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 891 acres.
Is Rice Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Rice Lake?: Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 891 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?: Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake Wildlife Area, Rice Lake Wildlife Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Rice Lake?: Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Iowa's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.