Paradise Lake
Coles County, Illinois174 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Paradise Lake in Coles County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 215.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.3 µg/L. Surface area: 174 acres.
- Typical in August
- 82°F
- Max depth
- ~45 ft est.
- Area
- 174 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 215.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 42.3 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Paradise Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Paradise Lake in Coles 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 Paradise Lake are listed below.
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Paradise Lake is a 174-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Coles County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 45 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Coles County, Paradise Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Paradise Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Paradise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 215.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42.3 µg/L. TSI 74. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 215.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 42.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Paradise Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Apr (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 230 field readings (2012–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Paradise Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~45 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 174 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Paradise Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Lake ParadisePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Paradise Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Paradise Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Paradise Lake Dam (completed 1929), built primarily for recreation on the LITTLE WABASH RIVER; earth-type dam, 46 ft tall and 1,400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 174 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,350 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,834 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 16.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF MATTOON
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00710 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Paradise 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_RCG · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.81 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Paradise Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Koch Fertilizer, Llc-Trilla TerminalMattoon · 4.2 mi away · NPDES IL0077461Recent 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 #1 of 2 lakes in Coles County
Nearby Lakes in Coles County
Frequently asked questions about Paradise Lake
Where is Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake is a lake in Coles County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake in Coles County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 215.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.3 µg/L. Surface area: 174 acres.
Is Paradise Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Paradise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), oxygen depletion (low DO), pH / acidity, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August, from 230 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Paradise Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Paradise Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 45 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 174 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Paradise. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Paradise Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Illinois's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
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Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX50 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- 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)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory