Kinkaid Lake
Jackson County, Illinois2,500 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
Kinkaid Lake in Jackson County, Illinois has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 23.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.8 µg/L. Surface area: 2500 acres.
- Typical in September
- 70°F
- Max depth
- ~72 ft est.
- Area
- 2,500 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 23.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 15.8 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Kinkaid Lake is a 2,500-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 72 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2022-07-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Kinkaid Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Big water2,500 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Kinkaid Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 23.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 15.8 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 23.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Kinkaid Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 489 field readings (2013–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kinkaid Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~72 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 2,500 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Kinkaid 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.
Recreation & Access
- Kinkaid LakePublic
- Kinkaid LakePublic
- Kinkaid LakePublic
- Kinkaid LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Kinkaid Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.75 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Kinkaid Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Kinkaid Lake Dam (completed 1972), built primarily for recreation on the KINKAID CREEK; earth-type dam, 96 ft tall and 980 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,500 ac
- Normal storage
- 78,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 153,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 62.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00012 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Kinkaid 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_RNC · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Kinkaid Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lake Murphysboro State Park Campground StpMurphysboro · 4.2 mi away · NPDES IL0051853Recent violation
- Lake Murphysboro State Park - Concession & Shower House StpMurphysboro · 4.5 mi away · NPDES IL0053953Recent violation
- Shawnee Sand And GravelGorham · 3.2 mi away · NPDES IL0063797
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Jackson County
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Kinkaid Lake
Where is Kinkaid Lake?
- Kinkaid Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Kinkaid Lake?
- Kinkaid Lake in Jackson County, Illinois has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 23.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.8 µg/L. Surface area: 2500 acres.
Is Kinkaid Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Kinkaid Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Kinkaid Lake?
- Kinkaid Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 489 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2013–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kinkaid Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Kinkaid Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 72 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 2500 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Kinkaid Lake?
- Kinkaid Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Kinkaid Lake, Kinkaid Lake, Kinkaid Lake, Kinkaid Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Kinkaid 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
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Illinois's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Other Grade C Lakes in Illinois
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Where this data comes from
154 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX154 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory