Nashville City Lake
Washington County, Illinois52 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Limited data
Nashville City Lake in Washington County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 606 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 89.3 µg/L. Surface area: 52 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 84°F
- Area
- 52 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 606 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 89.3 µg/L
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Stays near Nashville City Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nashville City Lake in Washington County, Illinois — 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Nashville City Lake are listed below.
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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 EPA, last sampled 2022-10-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nashville City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 606 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 89.3 µg/L. TSI 81. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 606 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 89.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 81 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Nashville City Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 84°F. 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 52 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Nashville City Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Nashville City Lake
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Nashville City Lake
Where is Nashville City Lake?
- Nashville City Lake is a lake in Washington County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nashville City Lake?
- Nashville City Lake in Washington County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 606 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 89.3 µg/L. Surface area: 52 acres.
Is Nashville City Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nashville City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Nashville City Lake?
- Nashville City Lake typically sits around 84°F at the surface in August, from 197 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Nashville City Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX48 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)