Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cook County, Illinois. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2023-04-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 3.1 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.1 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake
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Fishing Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #64 of 68 lakes in Cook County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Explore Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake across LakeGrade
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
Eutrophic Lakes in Illinois
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RHG · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.92 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Burnham Prairie Marsh West Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Plastics Color Corporation Of IllinoisCalumet City · 0.9 mi away · NPDES IL0035157
- Cid Recycling And Disposal FacilityCook County · 1.8 mi away · NPDES IL0061107
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-04-27
Monitoring stations: 1