Paradise Lake
Pike County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Paradise Lake in Pike County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 245 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 68.5 µg/L.
- Typical in August
- 81°F
- Max depth
- ~39 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 245 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 68.5 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Paradise Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Paradise Lake in Pike 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 highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Pike County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 39 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-07. 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. Paradise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 245 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 68.5 µg/L. TSI 78. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 245 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 68.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Paradise Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 87°F) and coldest in Apr (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2013–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Paradise Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~39 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| 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.
Fishing Paradise Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Paradise Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pittsfield Sediment Trap Dam (completed 1997), built primarily for debris control on the BLUE CREEK; earth-type dam, 11 ft tall and 548 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 254 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- CITY OF PITSFIELD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL50391 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.42 km)
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RDP · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.9 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Paradise Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Pittsfield StpPittsfield · 2.2 mi away · NPDES IL0030686MajorRecent violation
- The Maschhoffs Llc - GriggsvilleGriggsville · 2.3 mi away · NPDES IL0079359Recent violation
- Tate & LylePittsfield · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IL0076198
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 Pike County
Nearby Lakes in Pike County
Frequently asked questions about Paradise Lake
Where is Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake is a lake in Pike 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 Pike County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 245 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 68.5 µg/L.
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, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Paradise Lake?
- Paradise Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2013–2021). 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 39 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
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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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX15 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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)