Monroe Lake
Monroe County, IndianaView mapDirections
IDEM publishes the water-quality measurements for Monroe Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Monroe Lake in Monroe County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility.
Monroe Lake is a lake in Monroe County, Indiana. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, IDEM, last sampled 2023-07-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Monroe Lake has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Monroe Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Monroe Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Monroe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, taste, color, odor. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Monroe Lake 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 Monroe Lake
These are the measurements IDEM publishes for Monroe Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Monroe Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:25 AM from gauge 03372400 (Monroe Lake Near Harrodsburg, IN). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Recreation & Access
- CutrightPublic
- Moores CreekPublic
- Pine Grove State Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Monroe Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Monroe Lake in Monroe County, Indiana — 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 Monroe Lake
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Fishing Monroe Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Monroe Lake 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: Drinking water.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit INW08P1024_00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
10 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Monroe Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Paynetown Sra WwtpBloomington · 1.8 mi away · NPDES IN0030163Recent violation
- Monroe County WtpBloomington · 2 mi away · NPDES IN0060810Recent violation
- Salt Creek Services IncMonroe County · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IN0043699Recent violation
- Ransburg Scout ReservationBloomington · 0.4 mi away · NPDES IN0045411
- Home Bank Of SaratogaPlainfield · 1 mi away · NPDES INR10M994
- South Central Indiana Rsd Stinesville WwtpStinesville · 1.4 mi away · NPDES IN0050105
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.
Nearby Lakes in Monroe County
Frequently asked questions about Monroe Lake
Where is Monroe Lake?
- Monroe Lake is a lake in Monroe County, Indiana. Its water-quality measurements are published by IDEM and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Monroe Lake?
- Monroe Lake in Monroe County, Indiana has water-quality measurements published by IDEM, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility.
Is Monroe Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Monroe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, taste, color, odor. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water level at Monroe Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Monroe Lake is 549.96 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:25 AM at gauge 03372400. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Monroe Lake?
- Monroe Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cutright, Moores Creek, Pine Grove State Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Monroe Lake?
- Monroe Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Indiana's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Monroe 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 Indiana's top lakes, each with its readings
Indiana's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Eutrophic Lakes in Indiana
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS8 samples · 2023
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory