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LakeQuality
D

West Lake Osceola

Clarke County, WisconsinEutrophic

West Lake Osceola is a 306-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Clarke County, IA. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Clarke County, West Lake Osceola ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2024-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 28.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.2 ftF
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)28.7 µg/LD
Trophic State Index (TSI)65Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area306 acres

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Clarke County

Nearby Lakes in Clarke County

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

West Lake Osceola is a man-made reservoir impounded by the West Lake Dam (completed 1935), built primarily for water supply on the TR-SOUTH SQUAW CREEK; earth-type dam, 58 ft tall and 1,275 ft long.

Surface area
306 ac
Normal storage
4,195 ac-ft
Max storage
9,675 ac-ft
Drainage area
9.84 sq mi
Hazard class
Significant
Owner
City of Osceola Water Utilities Board

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA00213 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)

EPA Impairment Status

West Lake Osceola is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Oxygen depletion (low DO)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IA 04-LDM-1082 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2024-09-30

Monitoring stations: 1