Lake James
Steuben County, Indiana1,883 acresView mapDirections
IDEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake James. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 56 ft max depth
Lake James in Steuben County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56.1 ft. Surface area: 1883 acres.
Lake James is a 1,883-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Steuben County, Indiana with a maximum depth of 56 feet (36-foot average).
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEM, last sampled 2024-08-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake James is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water56.1 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,883 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake James is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake James is safe to swim in today is a call for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake James
These are the measurements IDEM publishes for Lake James, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2 µg/L.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Lake James
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
56.1 ft
Average depth
36.1 ft
Surface area
1,883 acres
Shoreline
35.8 mi
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake James
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Fishing Lake James
EPA Impairment Status
Lake James is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit INJ01P1038_00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Steuben County
Frequently asked questions about Lake James
Where is Lake James?
- Lake James is a lake in Steuben County, Indiana. Its water-quality measurements are published by IDEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake James?
- Lake James in Steuben County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56.1 ft. Surface area: 1883 acres.
Is Lake James safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake James is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake James?
- Lake James has a maximum depth of 56.1 feet and an average depth of 36.1 feet. The lake covers 1883 acres.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Lake James come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database