Nippersink Lake
Lake County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Illinois EPA publishes the water-quality measurements for Nippersink Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Nippersink Lake in Lake County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.6 µg/L.
Nippersink Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Lake County, Illinois. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Nippersink Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch7 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are 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.
Whether Nippersink Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Nippersink Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Nippersink Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36.6 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 88µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 36.6µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 70 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Nippersink Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM 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 56°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (80°F).
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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Nippersink Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nippersink Lake in Lake 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Nippersink Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Nippersink Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Nippersink Lake → · more Illinois lake trips
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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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.
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.
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Nippersink Lake
Where is Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake is a lake in Lake County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake in Lake County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 88 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.6 µg/L.
Is Nippersink Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are 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 56°F at the surface in October, 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 4.14 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM 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.
Can I fish at Nippersink Lake?
- Nippersink Lake has 7 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Illinois's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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 readings
Illinois's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Illinois
Other 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)
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