Charleston Side Channel Lake
Coles County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #2 of 2 in the county
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Charleston Side Channel Lake in Coles County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 121 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 56.1 µg/L.
- Typical in August
- 83°F
- Max depth
- ~27 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Charleston Side Channel Lake in Coles 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Charleston Side Channel Lake are listed below.
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Charleston Side Channel Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Coles County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 27 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Coles County, Charleston Side Channel Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Charleston Side Channel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Charleston Side Channel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 121 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 56.1 µg/L. TSI 72. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 121 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 56.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Charleston Side Channel Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Apr (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 156 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Charleston Side Channel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~27 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~23 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Charleston Side Channel Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Charleston Side ChannelPublic
- Lake Charleston Spillway ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Charleston Side Channel Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Charleston Side Channel Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Charleston Dam (completed 1981), built primarily for water supply on the TRIB EMBARASS RIVER; earth-type dam, 29 ft tall and 4,400 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 2,360 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,775 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF CHARLESTON
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL01240 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.33 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Charleston Side Channel Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RBC · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.25 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Charleston Side Channel Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Charleston Stp, City OfCharleston · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IL0021644MajorRecent violation
- Illinois Department Of Natural Resources - Fox Ridge State Park StpCharleston · 4.5 mi away · NPDES IL0051250
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Coles County
Nearby Lakes in Coles County
Frequently asked questions about Charleston Side Channel Lake
Where is Charleston Side Channel Lake?
- Charleston Side Channel Lake is a lake in Coles County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Charleston Side Channel Lake?
- Charleston Side Channel Lake in Coles County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 121 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 56.1 µg/L.
Is Charleston Side Channel Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Charleston Side Channel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Charleston Side Channel Lake?
- Charleston Side Channel Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in August, from 156 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Charleston Side Channel Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Charleston Side Channel Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 27 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Charleston Side Channel Lake?
- Charleston Side Channel Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Charleston Side Channel, Lake Charleston Spillway Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Charleston Side Channel Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Illinois's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
55 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX55 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory