George Lake
Rock Island County, Illinois167 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
George Lake in Rock Island County, Illinois has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17 µg/L. Surface area: 167 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- ~30 ft est.
- Area
- 167 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
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George Lake is a 167-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rock Island County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 30 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What George Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. George Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.2 ft. Phosphorus 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
George Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 625 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full George Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~20 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 167 acres |
| 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 George 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
- Lake GeorgePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing George Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
George Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake George Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for recreation on the BIG BRANCH CREEK; earth-type dam, 78 ft tall and 1,090 ft long.
- Surface area
- 167 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,014 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,355 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7.27 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- ROCK ISLAND COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE DIST.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00136 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
George 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_RML · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.28 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of George Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Riverview SubdivisionMuscatine · 2.3 mi away · NPDES IA0077453Recent violation
- Montpelier Sanitary District, Village OfMontpelier · 2.5 mi away · NPDES IA0073890Recent violation
- Camp Abe LincolnBlue Grass · 3.6 mi away · NPDES IA0067059Recent violation
- Ssab Iowa Inc.Muscatine · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IA0074101Recent violation
- Central Iowa Power Cooperative - Fair StationMuscatine · 2.9 mi away · NPDES IA0001562
- Snowstar Corporation Ski Lodge StpAndalusia · 4.1 mi away · NPDES IL0062839
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 #1 of 1 lakes in Rock Island County
Nearby Lakes in Rock Island County
Frequently asked questions about George Lake
Where is George Lake?
- George Lake is a lake in Rock Island County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for George Lake?
- George Lake in Rock Island County, Illinois has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17 µg/L. Surface area: 167 acres.
Is George Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. George Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of George Lake?
- George Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 625 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is George Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers George Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 30 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 167 acres.
Are there boat ramps on George Lake?
- George Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake George. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore George Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
52 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_WQX52 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- 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