U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
NATIONAL EUTROPHICATION SURVEY
WORKING PAPER SERIES
REPORT
ON
LOST ISLAND LAKE
CLAY AND PALD ALTO COUNTIES
IOWA
EPA REGION VII
WORKING PAPER No, 499
CORVALLIS ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - CORVALLIS, OREGON
and
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING & SUPPORT LABORATORY - LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
•&G.P.O. 699-440
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REPORT
ON
LOST ISLAND LAKE
CLAY AND PAID ALTO COUNTIES
IOWA
EPA REGION VII
WORKING PAPER No, 499
WlTH THE COOPERATION OF THE
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
AND THE
IOWA NATIONAL GUARD
AUGUST, 1976
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CONTENTS
Page
Foreword ii
List of Iowa Study Lakes iv
Lake and Drainage Area Map v
Sections
i- Introduction ^
II- Conclusions 1
i!- Lake and Drainage Basin Characteristics 3
IV- Lake Water Quality Summary 4
V. Literature Reviewed 8
VI. Appendices g
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11
FOREWORD
The National Eutrophication Survey was initiated in 1972 in
response to an Administration commitment to investigate the nation-
wide threat of accelerated eutrophication to freshwater lakes and
reservoirs.
OBJECTIVES
The Survey was designed to develop, in conjunction with state
environmental agencies, information on nutrient sources, concentrations,
and impact on selected freshwater lakes as a basis for formulating
comprehensive and coordinated national, regional, and state management
practices relating to point-source discharge reduction and non-point
source pollution abatement in lake watersheds.
ANALYTIC APPROACH
The mathematical and statistical procedures selected for the
Survey's eutrophication analysis are based on related concepts that:
a. A generalized representation or model relating
sources, concentrations, and impacts can be constructed.
b. By applying measurements of relevant parameters
associated with lake degradation, the generalized model
can be transformed into an operational representation of
a lake, its drainage basin, and related nutrients.
c. With such a transformation, an assessment of the
potential for eutrophication control can be made.
LAKE ANALYSIS
In this report, the first stage of evaluation of lake and water-
shed data collected from the study lake and its drainage basin is
documented. The report is formatted to provide state environmental
agencies with specific information for basin planning [§303(e)], water
quality criteria/standards review [§303(c)], clean lakes [§314(a,b)L
and water quality monitoring [§106 and §305(b)] activities mandated
by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972.
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m
Beyond the single lake analysis, broader based correlations
between nutrient concentrations (and loading) and trophic condi-
tion are being made to advance the rationale and data base for
refinement of nutrient water quality criteria for the Nation's
freshwater lakes. Likewise, multivariate evaluations for the
relationships between land use, nutrient export, and trophic
condition, by lake class or use, are being developed to assist
in the formulation of planning guidelines and policies by EPA
and to augment plans implementation by the states.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The staff of the National Eutrophication Survey (Office of
Research & Development, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency)
expresses sincere appreciation to the Iowa Department of Environ-
mental Quality for professional involvement, to the Iowa National
Guard for conducting the tributary sampling phase of the Survey,
and to those wastewater treatment plant operators who voluntarily
provided effluent samples and flow data.
The staff of the Water Quality Division of the Department of
Environmental Quality provided invaluable lake documentation and
counsel during the Survey, reviewed the preliminary reports, and
provided critiques most useful in the preparation of this Working
Paper series.
Major General Joseph G. May, the Adjutant General of Iowa,
and Project Officer Colonel Cleadeth P. Woods, who directed the
volunteer efforts of the Iowa National Guardsmen, are also grate-
fully acknowledged for their assistance to the Survey.
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iv
LAKE NAME
Ahquabi
Big Creek Reservoir
Black Hawk
Clear
Darling
Lost Island
MacBride
Prairie Rose
Rathbun Reservoir
Red Rock Reservoir
Rock Creek
Silver
Spirit
Viking
West Okoboji
NATIONAL EUTROPHICATION SURVEY
STUDY LAKES
STATE OF IOWA
COUNTY
Warren
Polk
Sac
Cerro Gordo
Washington
Clay, Palo Alto
Johnson
Shelby
Appanoose, Wayne
Marion
Jasper
Worth
Dickinson
Montgomery
Dickinson
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43'12—1
LOST ISLAND LAKE
X Lake Sampling Site
2 Km.
Scale
4310H
4308—I
94 56
9454'
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LOST ISLAND LAKE
STORE! NO. 1906
I. INTRODUCTION
Lost Island Lake was included in the National Eutrophication
Survey as a water body of interest to the Iowa Department of
Environmental Quality. Tributaries were not sampled, and this
report relates only to the lake sampling data.
Lost Island Lake is the fifth largest natural lake in Iowa
and is located on the broad flat uplands of the Des Moines lobe,
a gently-sloping, poorly-drained drift plain. It is glacial in
origin, is rather shallow, and has no major inlets. The lake is
bounded in places by marshes and swamps. Moderate numbers of
seasonal dwellings and a state park ring the north and east shores.
Fish species present include walleyes, bullheads, and crappies
(Anonymous, 1975).
II. CONCLUSIONS
A. Trophic Condition:
Survey data indicate that Lost Island Lake is eutrophic.
It ranked sixth in overall trophic quality when the 15 Iowa
lakes and reservoirs sampled in 1974 were compared using a com-
bination of six lake parameters*. Eleven of the water bodies had
less median total phosphorus, 12 had less median orthophosphorus
* See Appendix A.
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2
and mean chlorophyll a^ one had less median inorganic nitro-
gen, and one had greater mean Secchi disc transparency.
Survey limnologists noted abundant macrophytes at station
1 each sampling time and at station 2 in September. Algal
blooms were observed at station 1 in September and at station
2 in July.
B. Rate-Limiting Nutrient:
The algal assay results are not considered representative
of conditions in the lake at the time of sampling (04/22/74)
due to nutrient changes in the sample during shipment. The
lake data indicate phosphorus limitation in April and nitrogen
limitation in September.
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III. LAKE AND DRAINAGE BASIN CHARACTERISTICS1"
A. Lake Morphemetry :
1. Surface area: 5.10 kilometers2.
2. Mean depth: 3.0 meters.
3. Maximum depth: 4.3 meters.
4. Volume: 15.300 x 106 m3.
5. Mean hydraulic retention time: unknown.
B. Precipitation*:
1. Year of sampling: 42.49 centimeters.
2. Mean annual: 70.92 centimeters.
t Table of metric conversions—Appendix B.
tt Harrison, 1975.
* See Working Paper No. 175, "...Survey Methods, 1973-1976",
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4
IV. LAKE WATER QUALITY SUMMARY
Lost Island Lake was sampled three times during the open-water
season of 1974 by means of a pontoon-equipped Huey helicopter. Each
time, samples for physical and chemical parameters were collected from
two or more depths at two stations on the lake (see map, page v). During
each visit, a single depth-integrated (near bottom to surface) sample
was composited from the stations for phytoplankton identification and
enumeration; and during the first visit, a single 18.9-liter depth-
integrated sample was composited for algal assays. Also each time,
a depth-integrated sample was collected from each of the stations for
chlorophyll a^ analysis. The maximum depths sampled were near-surface
at station 1 and 2.4 meters at station 2.
The lake sampling results are presented in full in Appendix C and
are summarized in the following table (the July nutrient samples were
not preserved properly and were not analyzed).
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PARAMETER
TEMP
DISS OXY (MG/L)
CNDCTVY (MCROMO)
PH (STAND UNITS)
TOT ALK (MG/L)
TOT P (MG/L)
ORTHO P (MG/L)
N02»N03 (MG/L)
AMMONIA (MG/L)
KJEL N (MG/L)
INORG N (MG/L)
TOTAL N (MG/L)
CHLRPYL A (Ur,/L)
SECCHI (METERS)
A. SUMMARY OF PHYSICAL AND
1ST SAMPLING ( 4/22/74)
2 SITES
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR LOST ISLAND LAKE
STORET CODE 1906
2ND SAMPLING ( 7/ 9/74)
2 SITES
3RD SAMPLING ( 9/23/74)
2 SITES
RANGE
9.0 - 10.2
8.8 - 9.8
303. - 369.
202.
0.060
2.200
16.1
0.5
- 246.
• 0.212
• 0.014
- 0.220
- 0.320
- 5.000
• 0.540
~ 5.060
- 31.5
1.0
MEAN
9.9
9.4
320.
217.
0.011
0.163
0.273
3.200
0.437
3.363
18.8
0.7
MEDIAN KANGE MEAN MEDIAN
10.2 24.6 - 24.8 24.7 24.7
9.6 6.6 - 6.8 6.7 6.6
303. 387. - 410. 402. 410.
>»•»•«« 8.6 - 9.0 8.8 8.7
204. ««e*«* _***••«••««»•»**«***»•*
g.210 «««>»• .«•**•«****«***«**««**«
2.4QO o»««o« _»*•**•*»»•«*•**<>•«•»•»
18.8 1.9 - 115.8 58.8 58.8
0.7 0.3 - 9.2 4.8 4.8
RANGE
11.9 - 14.5
7.6 - 9.0
263. - 291.
166.
0.111
0.021
0.020
0.040
2.300
0.060
2.320
18.7
0.4
- 179.
~ 0.167
- 0.033
- 0.020
- 0.050
- 2.900
- 0.070
- 2.920
- 42.6
0.6
MEAN
13.9
8.4
284.
173.
0.025
0.020
0.042
2.640
0.062
2.660
30.6
0.5
MEDIAN
14.5
8.5
291.
.7
177.
0.154
0.026
0.020
0.040
2.700
0.060
2.720
30.6
0.5
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B. Biological characteristics:
1. Phytoplankton
* _
Sampling
Date
04/24/74.
09/23/74
Dominant
Genera
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Flagellates
Cryptomonas sp.
Fragilaria sp.
Ankistrodesmus sp.
Dinobryon sp.
Other genera
Total
Aphanocapsa sp.
Lyngbya jjp_.
Melosira sp.
Nitzschia sp.
Merismopedia sp.
Other genera
Algal Units
per ml
1,845
865
807
692
432
4,264
8,905
7,769
7,684
5,805
5,122
3,927
8,707
2. Chlorophyll a_ -
Total
Sampling
Date
04/22/74
07/09/74
09/23/74
Station
Number
1
2
1
2
1
2
39,014
Chlorophyll a_
21.5
16.1
1.9
115.8
42.6
18.7
Limiting Nutrient Study:
The algal assay results are not considered representative
of conditions in the lake at the time the sample was taken
(04/22/74) due to significant changes in nutrient concentra-
tions in the samples during shipment from the field to the
* The July phytoplankton sample was lost in shipment.
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7
laboratory. The lake data indicate the lake was phosphorus
limited in April; i.e., the mean inorganic nitrogen to ortho-
phosphorus ratio was 39 to 1. Nitrogen limitation is indi-
cated in September (the mean inorganic nitrogen to orthophos-
phorus ratio was less than 3 to 1, and nitrogen limitation
would be expected).
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8
V. LITERATURE REVIEWED
Anonymous, 1975. Iowa fishing guide. IA Cons. Comm., Des Moines.
Harrison, Harry M., 1975. Personal communication (lake morphometry).
IA Cons. Comm., Des Moines.
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VI. APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
LAKE RANKINGS
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LAKE DATA TO BE USEO IN
LAKE
CODE LAKE NAME
1901 LAKE ACQUAdI
1902 BIG CREEK RESERVOIR
1903 BLACK HAWK LAKE
1904 CLEAR LAKE
1905 LAKE DARLING
1906 LOST ISLAND LAKE
1907 LAKE MACBRIOE
1908 PRAIRIE ROSE LAKE
1909 RATH8UN RESERVOIR
1910 RED ROCK LAKE
1911 ROCK CREEK LAKE
1912 SILVER LAKE
1913 SPIRIT LAKE
1914 VIKING LAKE
1915 WEST LAKE OKOBOJI
MEOUN
TOTAL H
0.06?
0.046
0.185
0.059
0.077
0.146
0.061
0.056
0.071
0.180
0.065
0.193
0.041
0.075
0.046
MEDIAN
INO«G N
0.335
6.465
0.130
0.070
1.475
0.065
2.035
0.210
1.170
1.880
1.400
0.565
0.090
0.130
0.060
500-
MEAN SEC
469.333
436.500
488.167
465.125
482.500
421.167
458.444
463.667
475.889
473.400
480.500
482.667
422.667
459.000
380.444
MEAN
CHLOrtA
8.600
16.867
49.740
17.400
13.817
36.100
17.067
17.350
12.039
14.730
18.367
95.300
12.622
26.033
7.722
15-
MIN oo
8.200
14.800
15.000
8.600
9.200
8.400
15.000
8.600
14.000
14.000
8.400
10.000
9.000
14.200
15.000
MEDIAN
DISS OKTMO
0.009
0.011
0.020
0.010
0.012
0.021
0.010
0.010
0.008
0.104
0.007
0.034
0.007
0.017
0.017
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PERCENT OF LAKES WITH HIGHER VALUES (NUMBER OF LAKES WITH HIGHER VALUES*
LAKE
CODE LAKE NAME
1901 LAKE ACOUABI
1903 BIG CREEK RESERVOIR
1903 BLACK HAWK LAKE
1904 CLEAR LAKE
1905 LAKE OASLING
1906 LOST ISLAND LAKE
1907 LAKE MACBHIDE
1908 PRAIRIE ROSE LAKE
1909 RATHBUN RESERVOIR
1910 RED ROCK LAKE
1911 ROCK CREEK LAKE
1912 SILVER LAKE
1913 SPIRIT LAKE
1914 VIKING LAKE
1915 WEST LAKE OK060JI
MEDIAN
TOTAL P
57 (
89 (
7 (
71 (
29 <
21 (
64 (
79 (
43 (
1* <
50 (
0 (
100 (
36 (
89 (
8)
12)
1)
10)
4)
3)
9)
11)
6)
2)
7)
0)
14)
5)
12)
MEDIAN
INOwG N
50 (
0 (
68 <
86 (
21 (
93 (
7 (
57 (
36 <
14 (
29 (
43 (
79 (
68 (
100 (
7)
0)
9)
12)
3)
13)
1)
8)
5)
2)
4)
6)
11)
9)
14)
500-
MEAN SEC
43 (
79 (
0 (
50 (
14 (
93 (
71 (
57 <
29 (
36 (
21 (
7 (
86 (
64 (
100 (
6)
11)
0)
7)
2)
13)
10)
8)
4)
5)
3)
1)
12)
9)
14)
MEAN
CHLORA
93
57
7
36
71
14
50
43
86
64
29
0
79
21
100
( 13)
( 8)
( 1)
( 5)
( 10)
( 2)
( 7)
( 6)
( 12)
( 9)
( 4)
( 0)
( 11)
( 3)
( 14)
15-
MIN DO
100 <
21 <
7 (
75 (
57 (
89 (
7 <
75 (
39 (
39 (
89 (
50 (
64 (
29 (
7 (
14)
3)
0)
10)
8)
12)
0)
10)
5)
5)
12)
7)
9)
4)
0)
MEDIAN
OISS OrtThO P
79 (
50 (
21 (
64 (
43 (
14 (
64 (
64 (
86 (
0 (
96 (
7 (
96 (
32 (
32 (
11)
7)
3)
8)
6)
2)
8)
8)
12)
0)
13)
1)
13)
4)
4)
INDEX
NO
422
296
110
382
235
324
263
375
319
167
314
107
504
250
4
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LAKES RANKED BX INDEX NOS.
RANK LAKE CODE LAKE NAME INDEX NO
1 1913 SPIRIT LAKE 504
2 1915 WEST LAKE OK080JI 428
3 1901 LAKE ACOUA81 422
4 190<» CLEAR LAKE 382
5 1908 PRAIRIE ROSE LAKE 375
6 1906 LOST ISLAND LAKE 324
7 1909 RATHBUN RESERVOIR 319
8 1911 ROCK CREEK LAKE 314
9 1902 BIG CREEK RESERVOIR 296
10 1907 LAKE MACBRIDE 263
11 1914 VIKING LAKE 250
12 1905 LAKE DARLING 235
13 1910 RED ROCK LAKE 167
14 1903 BLACK HAWK LAKE 110
15 1912 SILVER LAKE 107
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APPENDIX B
CONVERSION FACTORS
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CONVERSION FACTORS
Hectares x 2.471 = acres
Kilometers x 0.6214 = miles
Meters x 3.281 = feet
-4
Cubic meters x 8.107 x 10 = acre/feet
Square kilometers x 0.3861 = square miles
Cubic meters/sec x 35.315 = cubic feet/sec
Centimeters x 0.3937 = inches
Kilograms x 2.205 = pounds
Kilograms/square kilometer x 5.711 = Ibs/square mile
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APPENDIX C
PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL DATA
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STORET RETRIEVAL DATE 75/12/23
190601
43 08 45.0 094 54
LOST ISLAND LAKE
19 IOWA
30.0
11EPALES
3
2111202
0002 FEET DEPTH
00010
DATE TIME DEPTH WATER
FROM OF TEMP
TO DAY FEET CENT
74/04/22 12 45 0000
74/07/09 10 40 0000
74/09/23 10 40 0000
DATE TIME DEPTH
FROM OF
TO DAY FEET
74/04/22 12 45 0000
74/07/09 10 40 0000
74/09/23 10 40 0000
00300 00077
DO TRANSP Cf
SECCHI FIELD
MG/L INCHES M]
9.0
24.6
11.9
10665
IS-TOT
i/L P
0.212
0.167
8.8
6.6
9.0
32217
CHLRPHYL
A
UG/L
21.5
1.9
42.6
18
364
17
00031
INCDT LT
REMNING
PERCENT
194
:TVY
i
IMHO
369
387
263
00400
PH
SU
9.00
8.95
00410
T ALK
CAC03
MG/L
246
166
00610
NH3-N
TOTAL
MG/L
0.190
0.040
00625
TOT KJEL
N
MG/L
5.000
2.900
00630
N02&N03
N-TOTAL
MG/L
0.060
0.020
00671
PHOS-DIS
ORTHO
MG/L P
0.012
0.021
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STORE! RETRIEVAL DATE 75/12/33
190602
43 10 30.0 094 56 00.0
LOST ISLAND LAKE
19 IOWA
DATE
FROM
TO
74/04/22
74/07/09
74/09/23
TIME DEPTH
OF
DAY FEET
13 00 0000
13 00 0002
13 00 0007
10 50 0000
10 50 0008
10 00 0000
10 00 0002
10 00 0007
10 40 0000
00010
WATER
TEMP
CENT
10.2
10.2
10.2
24.8
24.7
14.5
14.5
14.5
00300 00077 00094
00 TRANSP CNDUCTVY
SECCHI FIELD
HG/L INCHES MICROMHO
9.6
9.8
6.6
6.8
6.4
8.6
7.6
40
12
22
303
303
303
410
410
291
291
291
HEPALES
3
00400
PH
SU
8.70
8.60
8.71
8.75
8.73
00410
T ALK
CAC03
MG/L
204
202
179
177
177
166
2111202
0011
00610
NH3-N
TOTAL
MG/L
0.310
0.320
0.040
0.040
0.050
0.040
FEET DEPTH
00625
TOT KJEL
N
MG/L
2.400
2.200
2.700
2.300
2.400
2.900
00630
N02&N03
N-TOTAL
MG/L
0.210
0.220
0.020K
0.020K
0.020'K
0.020
00671
PHOS-DIS
ORTHO
MG/L P
0.006
0.014
0.026
0.026
0.033
0.021
00665
DATE TIME DEPTH PHOS-TOT
FROM OF
TO DAY FEET MG/L P
74/04/22 13 00 0000
13 00 0007
74/07/09 10 50 0000
10 50 0002
74/09/23 10 00 0000
10 00 0001
10 00 0002
10 00 0004
10 00 0007
10 40 0000
32217 00031
CHLRPHYL INCDT LT
A REMNING
UG/L PERCENT
1.0
50.0
1.0
0.102
0.097
0.111
0.139
0.154
0.167
16.1
115.8
18.7
K VALUE KNOWN TO BE
LESS THAN INDICATED
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