Nashville City Lake is a 52-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Washington County, Illinois. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2022-10-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 517 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 84.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 517 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 84 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 52 acres |
Where to stay near Nashville City Lake
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Fishing Nashville City Lake
Water Temperature
Nashville City Lake averages about 84°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 85°F) and coldest in Oct (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 197 field readings (2012–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nashville City Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Washington County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Nashville City Lake holds Grade F. 4 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- BBoulder South LakePerry County · 22.9 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → B)
- DSparta Northwest LakeRandolph County · 24.5 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DWesslyn Cut LakePerry County · 22.1 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
- DCentralia LakeMarion County · 24.3 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Explore Nashville City Lake across LakeGrade
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Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Nashville City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Nashville City Reservoir Dam (completed 1935), built primarily for recreation on the TRIB NASHVILLE CREEK; earth-type dam, 26 ft tall and 740 ft long.
- Surface area
- 52 ac
- Normal storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 701 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF NASHVILLE
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00138 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Nashville City 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_ROO · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Nashville City Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- New Minden Stp, Village OfNashville · 1.6 mi away · NPDES IL0041335Recent violation
- Nashville Stp, City OfNashville · 1.7 mi away · NPDES IL0027081Recent violation
- Washington County Conservation Area -StpNashville · 4.4 mi away · NPDES IL0048577Recent violation
- Nashville Wtp, City OfNashville · 0.2 mi away · NPDES IL0069701
- Nascote Industries, Inc.Nashville · 1.3 mi away · NPDES IL0068136
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2022-10-11
Monitoring stations: 3