Rodgers Lake
Benton County, Iowa23 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Rodgers Lake in Benton County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.5 µg/L. Surface area: 23 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Max depth
- ~24 ft est.
- Area
- 23 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Rodgers Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rodgers Lake in Benton 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Rodgers Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rodgers Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Rodgers Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 14 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Rodgers Lake is a 23-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Benton County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 24 feet. Water quality is graded F 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. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Benton County, Rodgers Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Rodgers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 91.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44.5 µg/L. TSI 67. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 91.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 44.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Rodgers Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°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 29 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rodgers Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~24 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 23 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Rodgers Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Rodgers Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.41 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -35.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -15.63 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rodgers Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rodgers Park Lake Dam (completed 1977), built primarily for recreation on the TR-CEDAR RIVER; earth-type dam, 30 ft tall and 700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 23 ac
- Normal storage
- 128 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 571 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3.21 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Benton County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01925 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Rodgers 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 02-CED-526 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.41 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rodgers Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mount Auburn City Of StpMount Auburn · 3.6 mi away · NPDES IA0059153Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Benton County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Rodgers Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Benton County
Frequently asked questions about Rodgers Lake
Where is Rodgers Lake?
- Rodgers Lake is a lake in Benton County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Rodgers Lake?
- Rodgers Lake in Benton County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44.5 µg/L. Surface area: 23 acres.
Is Rodgers Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Rodgers Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Rodgers Lake?
- Rodgers Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rodgers Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Rodgers Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 24 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 23 acres.
Explore Rodgers Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX75 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- In-Vitro Determination of Chlorophyll
- ISU modification of APHA 2130-B
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)