Highland Silver Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Madison County, Illinois. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Madison County, Highland Silver Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2022-10-26. 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 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 93.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 72.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 93.5 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Highland Silver Lake
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Fishing Highland Silver Lake
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Highland Silver Lake averages about 82°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Apr (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 36 field readings (2014–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Highland Silver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Madison County
Nearby Lakes in Madison County
Explore Highland Silver Lake across LakeGrade
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
Illinois's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
Bond County · Clarity: 1.2 ft
St. Clair County · Clarity: 0.8 ft
Clinton County · Clarity: 1.8 ft
Montgomery County · Clarity: 1.8 ft
Montgomery County · Clarity: 1 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 1.3 ft
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Illinois
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Highland Silver Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Silver Lake Dam (completed 1962), built primarily for water supply on the EAST FORK SILVER CREEK; earth-type dam, 29 ft tall and 2,780 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 4,224 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,945 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CITY OF HIGHLAND
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00178 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Highland Silver Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_ROZA · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Highland Silver 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.
- Highland Stp, City OfHighland · 4.9 mi away · NPDES IL0029173MajorRecent violation
- Munie Trucking Co.-HighlandHighland · 1.7 mi away · NPDES IL0068861
- Transcanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P.Wood River · 2.1 mi away · NPDES IL0078956
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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-10-26
Monitoring stations: 3