West Okoboji Lake
Dickinson County, IowaView mapDirections
Iowa DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for West Okoboji Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
Free interactive depth-contour map of West Okoboji Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 135 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
West Okoboji Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Dickinson County, Iowa. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Dickinson County, West Okoboji Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
West Okoboji Lake has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around West Okoboji Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What West Okoboji Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.7 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
West Okoboji Lake Water Quality Summary (2026)
A printable one-page summary for West Okoboji Lake: clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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, West Okoboji Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 2 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 West Okoboji 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 West Okoboji Lake
These are the measurements Iowa DNR publishes for West Okoboji Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.7 ft down. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.3 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.3µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about West Okoboji Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:45 AM from gauge 06604200 (West Okoboji Lake at Lakeside Lab Near Milford, IA). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ West Okoboji Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
West Okoboji Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 61°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 (61°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 101 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full West Okoboji Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Okoboji Sailing CenterSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near West Okoboji Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson 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.
Top-rated places to stay near West Okoboji Lake
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Fishing West Okoboji Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.8 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.1 µg/L/yr5 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
15 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of West Okoboji Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Central Water SystemOkoboji · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0083879Recent violation
- Whitecap AdditionArnolds Park · 0.7 mi away · NPDES IA0052945
- Quiring Residence StormwaterOkoboji · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0053623
- Lakeside Ave. Infrastructure ImprovementsWahpeton · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0053299
- Sherwood ForestOkoboji · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IA0053342
- Wahpeton Street Improvements ProjectWahpeton · 0.9 mi away · NPDES IA0053631
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.
Nearby Lakes in Dickinson County
Frequently asked questions about West Okoboji Lake
Where is West Okoboji Lake?
- West Okoboji Lake is a lake in Dickinson County, Iowa. Its water-quality measurements are published by Iowa DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of West Okoboji Lake?
- West Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County, Iowa has water-quality measurements published by Iowa DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
Is West Okoboji Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, West Okoboji Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 2 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 West Okoboji Lake 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 West Okoboji Lake?
- West Okoboji Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 101 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 49°F.
What is the water level at West Okoboji Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for West Okoboji Lake is 4.63 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:45 AM at gauge 06604200. 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 West Okoboji Lake?
- West Okoboji Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Okoboji Sailing Center. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at West Okoboji Lake?
- West Okoboji 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.
Explore West Okoboji Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Iowa Great Lakes area
Where to stay at Iowa's top lakes, each with its readings
Iowa's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Iowa
Other Lakes in Iowa
Mesotrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
264 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX264 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 (5)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory