Water quality data collected from the beginning of August indicates an increase in nutrients and algae in most of the monitored lakes. This is likely due to the high rainfall in the region and warm air and water temperatures during the time of sample collection. During rainfall events, sediment and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from surrounding lands can get into area lakes. With warm water temperatures (some lakes were near 90 degrees!) and an influx of nutrients, plants and algae can grow quickly and abundantly.
Little Spirit Lake had some of the poorest water clarity (Secchi depth) and highest chlorophyll a (indicates algae abundance) concentrations in early August. West Okoboji Lake remained clear, with low chlorophyll a levels. The differences are partly due to Little Spirit Lake having an average depth of 5.9 feet whereas West Okoboji Lake has an average of 37.7 feet deep.
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