Axehead Lake
Cook County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Illinois EPA publishes the water-quality measurements for Axehead Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Taste, color, odor
- Limited data
Axehead Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.8 µg/L.
Axehead Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cook County, Illinois. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Axehead Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2020-10-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
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What Axehead Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.9 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Axehead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for taste, color, odor. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Axehead Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Axehead Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Axehead Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.9 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.8 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 13.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Axehead Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Axehead Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 210 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Axehead Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Axehead Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Axehead Lake
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Fishing Axehead Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Axehead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RGZQ · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Axehead Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Chicago O'Hare International AirportChicago · 3.5 mi away · NPDES IL0002283Recent violation
- Illinois Tool Works-Harwood HeightsHarwood Heights · 4 mi away · NPDES IL0070971Recent violation
- Rivers CasinoDes Plaines · 0.9 mi away · NPDES IL0079677
- ComdiscoRosemont · 2.7 mi away · NPDES IL0069086
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Axehead Lake
Where is Axehead Lake?
- Axehead Lake is a lake in Cook County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Axehead Lake?
- Axehead Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.8 µg/L.
Is Axehead Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Axehead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for taste, color, odor. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Axehead Lake?
- Axehead Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October, from 210 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
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Where this data comes from
32 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX32 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)