Holiday Shores Lake
Madison County, Illinois345 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 47 ft max depth
- Limited data
Holiday Shores Lake in Madison County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.1 µg/L. Surface area: 345 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.7 ft
- Typical in September
- 78°F
- Max depth
- ~47 ft est.
- Area
- 345 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 136.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 32.1 µg/L
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Stays near Holiday Shores Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Holiday Shores Lake in Madison 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 Holiday Shores Lake are listed below.
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Holiday Shores Lake is a 345-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Madison County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 47 feet. 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 EPA, last sampled 2020-11-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Holiday Shores Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 136.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 32.1 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 136.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 32.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Holiday Shores Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 79°F. 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~47 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 345 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Holiday Shores 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.
Fishing Holiday Shores Lake
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
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Madison County
Nearby Lakes in Madison County
Frequently asked questions about Holiday Shores Lake
Where is Holiday Shores Lake?
- Holiday Shores Lake is a lake in Madison County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Holiday Shores Lake?
- Holiday Shores Lake in Madison County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 136.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 32.1 µg/L. Surface area: 345 acres.
Is Holiday Shores Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Holiday Shores Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Holiday Shores Lake?
- Holiday Shores Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in September, from 175 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Holiday Shores Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Holiday Shores Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 47 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 345 acres.
Explore Holiday Shores Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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
Planning a trip around Gateway Arch?
Holiday Shores Lake is about 25 miles from Gateway Arch National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Gateway Arch →More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX46 samples · 2020
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)