(Des Moines)– A new report on Iowa’s lakes shows that many suffer from a low-oxygen condition that can kill fish and plants and have high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous.
Iowa State University Lake Scientist John Downing says the conditions are caused in part by crop and lawn fertilizers finding their way into the lakes.
The lake in the best shape biologically and chemically is Yellow Smoke Park in Crawford county.
Others faring well in the tests include Big Spirit Lake, Three Mile Lake and George Wythe Lake in Waterloo.
Brushy Creek Lake, a popular fishing spot, was better than 98 percent of the other lakes.
West Lake Okoboji was among the top 11 percent.
Clear Lake, a hugely popular vacation lake, finished in the middle of the rankings, largely because it isn’t clear and has silt problems.
(Story from the Associated Press.).
