Where is Canton Lake?

Canton Lake is a lake in Fulton County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Canton Lake?

Canton Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet and an average depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 229 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Canton Lake?

Canton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Lakeshore Drive. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Canton Lake?

Canton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Illinois's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Canton Lake

Fulton County, Illinois229 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Illinois EPA for this lake.

Max depth

35 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

229 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

7.9 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
35 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Canton Lake in Fulton County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 229 acres.

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Canton Lake is a 229-acre lake in Fulton County, Illinois with a maximum depth of 35 feet (14-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Canton Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Canton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Canton 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.

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Water quality measurements for Canton Lake

These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Canton Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Canton Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

35 ft

Average depth

14 ft

Surface area

229 acres

Shoreline

7.9 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Illinois EPA

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

North Lakeshore DrivePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Canton Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Canton Lake in Fulton County, Illinois — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Canton Lake

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Fishing Canton Lake

→ Canton Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Canton Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

MercuryNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Turbidity

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RDD · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Fulton County

Canton Lake2.5 ft clear · Hypereutrophic0.1 miView →Strode Lake3.8 miView →Fitch Lake3.8 miView →Duck Creek Cooling Pond5.9 miView →Miserable Lake7.2 miView →Beebe Lake8.3 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Canton Lake

Where is Canton Lake?: Canton Lake is a lake in Fulton County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Canton Lake?: Canton Lake in Fulton County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 229 acres.
Is Canton Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Canton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Canton Lake?: Canton Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet and an average depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 229 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Canton Lake?: Canton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Lakeshore Drive. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Canton Lake?: Canton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Illinois's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.