Storm Lake Max Depth
Buena Vista County, IowaView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Storm Lake Max Depth. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
Storm Lake Max Depth in Buena Vista County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 123.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Storm Lake Max Depth, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 17 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Storm Lake Max Depth is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Buena Vista County, Iowa with an estimated average depth of about 23 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Buena Vista County, Storm Lake Max Depth ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Storm Lake Max Depth is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria advisory
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Based on E. coli testing, Storm Lake Max Depth never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 14 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Iowa’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Storm Lake Max Depth 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 Storm Lake Max Depth
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for Storm Lake Max Depth, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 123.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11 µg/L. TSI 66.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 124µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Storm Lake Max Depth
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 05482140 (Storm Lake at Storm Lake, IA). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Water Temperature
Storm Lake Max Depth typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — see Current Conditions above for the latest gauge reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Storm Lake Max Depth water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~23 ft est.
Public access
Yes
Listed by Iowa DNR
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Iowa has not published bathymetry for Storm Lake Max Depth.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
28 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
2,928 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
9.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,385 ft
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.
Recreation & Access
- Bel Aire AccessPublic
- SunrisePublic
- Lakeside MarinaPublic
- Storm Lake marina - SouthwestPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Storm Lake Max Depth
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Top-rated places to stay near Storm Lake Max Depth
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Fishing Storm Lake Max Depth
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-69.9 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-3.88 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Storm Lake Max Depth 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.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-RAC-1143 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Buena Vista County
Frequently asked questions about Storm Lake Max Depth
Where is Storm Lake Max Depth?
- Storm Lake Max Depth is a lake in Buena Vista County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Storm Lake Max Depth?
- Storm Lake Max Depth in Buena Vista County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 123.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L.
Is Storm Lake Max Depth safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Storm Lake Max Depth never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 14 samples across 3 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Storm Lake Max Depth is safe to swim in today is a call for Iowa's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Storm Lake Max Depth?
- Storm Lake Max Depth typically sits around 69°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. A USGS gauge on this lake last read 83°F.
How deep is Storm Lake Max Depth?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Storm Lake Max Depth, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 23 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
What is the water level at Storm Lake Max Depth?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Storm Lake Max Depth is 13.82 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 05482140. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Storm Lake Max Depth?
- Storm Lake Max Depth has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bel Aire Access, Sunrise, Lakeside Marina, Storm Lake marina - Southwest. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Storm Lake Max Depth?
- Storm Lake Max Depth has 4 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.
Explore Storm Lake Max Depth across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
57 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_WQX57 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory