Holiday Shores Lake is a 345-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Madison County, Illinois. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Madison County, Holiday Shores Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2020-11-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Holiday Shores Lake water quality
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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 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 126.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 72.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 126.5 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 345 acres |
Where to stay near Holiday Shores Lake
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Fishing Holiday Shores Lake
Water Temperature
Holiday Shores Lake averages about 79°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Aug (about 80°F) and coldest in Nov (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 175 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Holiday Shores Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Madison County
Nearby Lakes in Madison County
Explore Holiday Shores 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
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Illinois
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Holiday Shores Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Holiday Shores Lake Dam (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the JOULTERS CREEK; earth-type dam, 47 ft tall and 960 ft long.
- Surface area
- 345 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,605 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,610 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- HOLISHOR ASSOCIATION, INC.
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00190 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Holiday Shores 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_RJN · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2020-11-17
Monitoring stations: 3