Saylorville Lake
Polk County, Iowa5,428 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Iowa DNR for this lake.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Saylorville Lake in Polk County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 42.6 ft. Surface area: 5428 acres.
Saylorville Lake is a 5,428-acre lake in Polk County, Iowa with a maximum depth of 43 feet (16-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Saylorville Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Deep water42.6 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water5,428 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Saylorville Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Saylorville 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.
Water quality measurements for Saylorville Lake
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Saylorville 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 Saylorville Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
42.6 ft
Average depth
15.6 ft
Surface area
5,428 acres
Shoreline
49 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Iowa DNR
Recreation & Access
- Southwest SaylorvillePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Saylorville Lake
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
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Stays near Saylorville Lake
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Fishing Saylorville Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Saylorville Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-UDM-1213 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Saylorville Lake
Where is Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake is a lake in Polk County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake in Polk County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 42.6 ft. Surface area: 5428 acres.
Is Saylorville Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Saylorville Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake has a maximum depth of 42.6 feet and an average depth of 15.6 feet. The lake covers 5428 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Southwest Saylorville. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.
Are there campgrounds on Saylorville Lake?
- Saylorville Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Sandpiper Recreation Area, Acorn Valley. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Saylorville Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles