Lou Yaeger Lake
Montgomery County, WisconsinHypereutrophic
Lou Yaeger Lake is a 1,410-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Montgomery County, IL. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Montgomery County, Lou Yaeger Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2022-10-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 217 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 217 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 1.4K acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Montgomery County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Lou Yaeger Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Montgomery County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lou Yaeger Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Lou Yaeger Dam (completed 1966), built primarily for recreation on the WEST FORK SHOAL CREEK; earth-type dam, 54 ft tall and 1,270 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,410 ac
- Normal storage
- 15,380 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 44,430 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 104 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF LITCHFIELD
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00693 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lou Yaeger Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RON · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2022-10-17
Monitoring stations: 3