Nippersink Lake
Lake County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #15 of 19 in the county
- Public access
- Limited data
Nippersink Lake in Lake County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 88 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 36.6 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Nippersink Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Lake County, Illinois. Water quality is graded F based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 7 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Nippersink Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2022-10-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Nippersink Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch7 documented ramps
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. Nippersink Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36.6 µg/L. TSI 70. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 88 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 36.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Sep 7, 2026, 3:00 PM from gauge 05548000 (NIPPERSINK LAKE AT FOX LAKE, IL). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Nippersink Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
Nippersink Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Oct (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 181 field readings (2012–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nippersink Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Nippersink CreekPublic
- Nippersink LakePublic
- MineolaSemi-private
- Nippersink BoulevardSemi-private
- Point ComfortSemi-private
- a marinaSemi-private
Showing 6 of 7 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Nippersink Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Nippersink 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_RTUA · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Nippersink Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fox Lake-Tall Oaks Stp, Village OfFox Lake · 1.3 mi away · NPDES IL0045144Recent violation
- Spring Grove StpSpring Grove · 3.8 mi away · NPDES IL0074985Recent violation
- Scot Forge CompanySpring Grove · 4.3 mi away · NPDES IL0077909Recent violation
- Spring Grove Holdings, LlcSpring Grove · 4.5 mi away · NPDES IL0059145Recent violation
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 #15 of 19 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Nippersink Lake
Where is Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake is a lake in Lake County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake in Lake County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.6 µg/L.
Is Nippersink Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Nippersink Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 181 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What is the water level at Nippersink Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Nippersink Lake is 4.19 ft of gage height, recorded Sep 7, 2026, 3:00 PM at gauge 05548000. 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 Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake has 7 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nippersink Creek, Nippersink Lake, Mineola, Nippersink Boulevard, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Nippersink Lake across LakeQuality
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
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Illinois's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX20 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory