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LakeQuality

Rudd Lake

Floyd County, IowaView mapDirections

A
Excellent

Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.

↑ up from B at the last regrade

Water temp
~72°F
Typical for Sep · EPA WQP
Clarity
8.1 ft
Secchi · sampled 2024
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Declining
4 years of samples
  • Mesotrophic
  • #1 of 1 in the county

Rudd Lake in Floyd County, Iowa has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L.

Clarity
8.1 ft
Typical in September
72°F
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Declining
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Stays via Stay22

Stays near Rudd Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rudd Lake in Floyd 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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Watch Rudd Lake’s letter

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Free interactive depth-contour map of Rudd Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 18 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.

Rudd Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Floyd County, Iowa. Water quality is graded A 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 2024-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low algae

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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rochester

Get alerts for Rudd Lake

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.1 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.5 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)8.1 ftNot graded
Phosphorus14 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)4.5 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)45Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Water Temperature

Rudd Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
74°
Jul
81°
Aug
75°
Sep
72°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (20112023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rudd Lake water temperature breakdown →

Fishing Rudd Lake

Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.159 m/yr4
Phosphorus Improving-2.7 µg/L/yr4
Chlorophyll-a Declining+2.49 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rudd Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

  • Rudd City Of Stp
    Rudd · 1.3 mi away · NPDES IA0061344
    Recent 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 #1 of 1 lakes in Floyd County

Nearby Lakes in Floyd County

Frequently asked questions about Rudd Lake

Where is Rudd Lake?

Rudd Lake is a lake in Floyd County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Rudd Lake?

Rudd Lake in Floyd County, Iowa has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L.

Is Rudd Lake safe to swim in?

The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

What is the water temperature of Rudd Lake?

Rudd Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

Where this data comes from

66 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data21IOWA_WQX66 samples · 2021–2024

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

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)