Wilson Lake
Taylor County, Iowa17 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Turbidity
- #2 of 4 in the county
Wilson Lake in Taylor County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.3 µg/L. Surface area: 16.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Area
- 17 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 96.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 48.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wilson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilson Lake in Taylor 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 Wilson Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wilson Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Wilson Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Wilson Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 16 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Iowa DNR.
Wilson Lake is a 17-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Taylor County, Iowa. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Taylor County, Wilson Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Iowa DNR, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 48.3 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 96.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 48.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Wilson Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Sep (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wilson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Wilson Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Wilson Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.318 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +67.21 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -10.39 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wilson Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wilson Lake Dam (completed 1967), built primarily for recreation on the TR-EAST 102 RIVER; earth-type dam, 29 ft tall and 970 ft long.
- Surface area
- 16.5 ac
- Normal storage
- 142 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 204 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.36 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Taylor County Conservation Board
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IA01057 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wilson 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 05-PLA-1477 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.19 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Wilson Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Michael Foods, Inc.Lenox · 2.9 mi away · NPDES IA0075647Recent violation
- Lenox City Of StpLenox · 3.2 mi away · NPDES IA0027995
- Clearfield City Of StpClearfield · 4.3 mi away · NPDES IA0070980
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 4 lakes in Taylor County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wilson Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Taylor County
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Lake
Where is Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake is a lake in Taylor County, Iowa. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake in Taylor County, Iowa has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.3 µg/L. Surface area: 16.5 acres.
Is Wilson Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Wilson Lake across LakeQuality
More Iowa Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Iowa
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Iowa
Where this data comes from
41 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Iowa DNR Surface Water Monitoring Data
21IOWA_WQX41 samples · 2021–2024
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)
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)