Where is Lake Carlton?

Lake Carlton is a lake in Whiteside County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Lake Carlton?

Lake Carlton has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 10.9 feet. The lake covers 72 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Lake Carlton?

Lake Carlton has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Morrison Rockwood State Park. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Lake Carlton?

Lake Carlton has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Illinois's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Lake Carlton

Whiteside County, Illinois72 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Illinois EPA for this lake.

Max depth

27 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

72 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

2.8 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
27 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake Carlton in Whiteside County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 72 acres.

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Lake Carlton is a 72-acre lake in Whiteside County, Illinois with a maximum depth of 27 feet (11-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Lake Carlton is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Carlton is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lake Carlton is safe to swim in today is a call for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Lake Carlton

These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Lake Carlton, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Lake Carlton

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

27 ft

Average depth

10.9 ft

Surface area

72 acres

Shoreline

2.8 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Illinois EPA

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Morrison Rockwood State ParkPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake Carlton

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Carlton in Whiteside 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Lake Carlton

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Fishing Lake Carlton

→ Lake Carlton fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Lake Carlton is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

MercuryNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RPF · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Whiteside County

Wares Lake9.8 miView →Lake Erie13.2 miView →Timber Lake11.5 ft clear14.4 miView →Spring Lake16.5 miView →Misquakee Lake18.3 miView →Bowens Lake18.9 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Lake Carlton

Where is Lake Carlton?: Lake Carlton is a lake in Whiteside County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Carlton?: Lake Carlton in Whiteside County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 72 acres.
Is Lake Carlton safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Carlton is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Carlton?: Lake Carlton has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 10.9 feet. The lake covers 72 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Carlton?: Lake Carlton has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Morrison Rockwood State Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Carlton?: Lake Carlton has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Illinois's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.