Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake
Cook County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake in Cook County, Illinois is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by Illinois EPA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is a lake in Cook County, Illinois. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 2023-05-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Recreation & Access
- Jackson Harbor - East Hayes DrivePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Jackson Park Inner Harbor 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_QZM · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake
Where is Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake?
- Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is a lake in Cook County, Illinois. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake?
- Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake in Cook County, Illinois is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake?
- Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jackson Harbor - East Hayes Drive. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Indiana Dunes?
Jackson Park Inner Harbor Lake is about 27 miles from Indiana Dunes 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 Indiana Dunes →More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS Illinois Water Science Center
USGS-IL1 sample · 2023
Analytical methods
- Secchi disk method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory