Snyder Bend Lake
Woodbury County, IowaView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 42 ft max depth
- Limited data
Snyder Bend Lake in Woodbury County, Iowa has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- ~42 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 90 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 27.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Snyder Bend Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Snyder Bend Lake in Woodbury 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 Snyder Bend Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Snyder Bend Lake
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Snyder Bend Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 11 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Snyder Bend Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Woodbury County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 42 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Woodbury County, Snyder Bend Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Snyder Bend Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 27.3 µg/L. TSI 66. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 90 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 27.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Snyder Bend Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Snyder Bend Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~42 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Snyder Bend 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 Snyder Bend Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.44 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +73 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +41.6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Snyder Bend 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 06-WEM-1734 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Snyder Bend Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Midamerican Energy - Neal South Energy CtrSalix · 1.8 mi away · NPDES IA0061859Major
- Winnavegas Casino ComplexSloan · 3.9 mi away · NPDES IA0073717Recent 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 3 lakes in Woodbury County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Snyder Bend Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Woodbury County
Frequently asked questions about Snyder Bend Lake
Where is Snyder Bend Lake?
- Snyder Bend Lake is a lake in Woodbury County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Snyder Bend Lake?
- Snyder Bend Lake in Woodbury County, Iowa has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.3 µg/L.
Is Snyder Bend Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Snyder Bend Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Snyder Bend Lake?
- Snyder Bend Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Snyder Bend Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Snyder Bend Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 42 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Snyder Bend Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Iowa
Eutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX24 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Unknown
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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)