Pierce Lake
Winnebago County, Illinois151 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Illinois EPA for this lake.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Pierce Lake in Winnebago County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 151 acres.
Pierce Lake is a 151-acre lake in Winnebago County, Illinois with a maximum depth of 36 feet (13-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pierce Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingNot rated
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pierce Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pierce 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 Pierce Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Pierce Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. TSI undefined.
Ask about Pierce Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Average depth
12.5 ft
Surface area
151 acres
Shoreline
4 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Illinois EPA
Recreation & Access
- Willow Creek - Rock Cut State Park - SouthPublic
- Willow Creek - Rock Cut State Park - NorthPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Pierce Lake
- Rock Cut State Park Campground0.9 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pierce Lake
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Fishing Pierce Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Pierce 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_RPC · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Winnebago County
Frequently asked questions about Pierce Lake
Where is Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake is a lake in Winnebago County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake in Winnebago County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 151 acres.
Is Pierce Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pierce Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 12.5 feet. The lake covers 151 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Willow Creek - Rock Cut State Park - South, Willow Creek - Rock Cut State Park - North. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake has 2 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.
Are there campgrounds on Pierce Lake?
- Pierce Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Rock Cut State Park Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Pierce Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles