
Pike County Lake Quality
Illinois, 11 lakes, average grade F (Algae-prone)
Pike County holds 11 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 1 of those lake carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county average is F — the most-stressed bracket in our rubric. Most monitored lakes here show persistent nutrient loading and algal pressure.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Paradise Lake (F); the most-stressed is Paradise Lake (F).
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Quick Answers for Pike County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Paradise Lake — or check the official Illinois fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Pike County
11 lakes · 1 graded, 10 not rated1 graded lake · 10 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FParadise LakePike | F | No recent samples | 245 µg/L | 68.5 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| NRBarlow LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRMcCoe LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPine LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHalfmoon LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLog SloughPike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHan SloughPike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTowhead LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRUpper Swan LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTwin LakesPike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRTrester LakePike | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in Illinois
See how Pike County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.