Mattoon Lake vs Sara Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Sara Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Mattoon Lake. Both are in Illinois.
Both Mattoon Lake and Sara Lake sit in Illinois. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Mattoon Lake versus Sara Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Mattoon Lake
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility.
Sara Lake
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Mattoon Lake | Sara Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 1.3 ft | 2.2 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 294 µg/L | 59.5 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 87.1 µg/L | 33.9 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | - | - |
| Surface Area | 980 acres | 586 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 0 | 0 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | hypereutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Mattoon Lake and Sara Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Mattoon Lake: 1.3 ft, Sara Lake: 2.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Mattoon Lake matches its peer on species count.
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Where to stay near Mattoon Lake and Sara Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Mattoon Lake and Sara Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Mattoon Lake and Sara Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.