James Lake
Kosciusko County, IndianaView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 54 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
James Lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 5.3 ft
- Max depth
- ~54 ft est.
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near James Lake
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Watch James Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of James Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Indiana DNR.
Why James Lake has no grade
James Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, James Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 5.3-foot median from 11 readings collected 2021 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by IDEM and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
James Lake is a lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana with an estimated average depth of about 54 feet. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEM, last sampled 2021-08-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. James Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for James Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5.3 ft. TSI 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~54 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Indiana has not published bathymetry for James 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 James Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.03 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +11.5 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
James 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 INB06P1056_00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of James Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- North Webster WwtpNorth Webster · 1.2 mi away · NPDES IN0040444Recent violation
- Camp Crosley YmcaNorth Webster · 0.4 mi away · NPDES INR10J396
- Camp Crosley Recreation Area: Phase Ii GradingNorth Webster · 0.4 mi away · NPDES INR10L374
- Indiana Baptist Convention FoundationNorth Webster · 0.6 mi away · NPDES INR10H655
- Lake Tippecanoe/James Lake Dredging Dewatering BasinsSyracuse · 0.8 mi away · NPDES INR10J244
- Lake Tippecanoe Ducunee/Neibert Dredging Dewatering BasinLeesburg · 1 mi away · NPDES INRA00480
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.
Nearby Lakes in Kosciusko County
Frequently asked questions about James Lake
Where is James Lake?
- James Lake is a lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for James Lake?
- James Lake in Kosciusko County, Indiana is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility.
Is James Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. James Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is James Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers James Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 54 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore James Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS11 samples · 2021
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)