Marie Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lake County, Illinois. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Marie Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2022-10-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 2.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 69 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.7 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 69 µg/L | D |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Marie Lake
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Fishing Marie Lake
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Marie Lake averages about 77°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Oct (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 244 field readings (2012–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 16 lakes in Lake County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Marie Lake holds Grade D. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- BCatherine LakeLake County · 1.6 mi · Two grade letters higher (D → B)
- CChannel LakeLake County · 1.1 mi · Higher grade (D → C)
- DGrass LakeLake County · 2.3 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- DPetite LakeLake County · 2.4 mi · Higher overall water quality score
- DFox LakeLake County · 3.7 mi · Higher overall water quality score
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Explore Marie Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Chain O'Lakes area
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
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Illinois
Eutrophic Lakes in Illinois
More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Marie Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Coopers Farm Sediment Storage Dam, built primarily for debris control on the LAKE MARIE - OFFSTREAM; earth-type dam, 13 ft tall and 2,500 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL55139 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.96 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Marie 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_RTR · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-10-25
Monitoring stations: 2