Pistakee Lake
McHenry County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Illinois EPA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pistakee Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Limited data
Pistakee Lake in McHenry County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.4 µg/L.
Pistakee Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in McHenry County, Illinois. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in McHenry County, Pistakee Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2022-10-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pistakee Lake has 4 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Pistakee Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pistakee Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pistakee 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 Pistakee Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Pistakee 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 2.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 39.4 µg/L. TSI 65.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 74µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 39.4µg/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. | 65 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Pistakee Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Lookout Point ParkPublic
- a marinaSemi-private
- Bald Knob PointSemi-private
- Oak Grove RoadSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pistakee Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pistakee Lake in McHenry 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 Pistakee Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pistakee Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 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 Pistakee Lake → · more Illinois lake trips
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Fishing Pistakee Lake
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
6 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pistakee Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fox Lake Nw Regional Wrf, Village OfFox Lake · 1 mi away · NPDES IL0020958MajorRecent violation
- Bostik, Inc.Ringwood · 4.3 mi away · NPDES IL0001716MajorRecent violation
- Johnsburg Stp, Village OfJohnsburg · 2.8 mi away · NPDES IL0074969Recent violation
- Huntsman International LlcRingwood · 4.4 mi away · NPDES IL0079553Recent violation
- Oak Creek Townhomes WwtfJohnsburg · 0.9 mi away · NPDES IL0075973
- Modine Manufacturing Company - MchenryRingwood · 4.3 mi away · NPDES IL0001279
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 McHenry County
Frequently asked questions about Pistakee Lake
Where is Pistakee Lake?
- Pistakee Lake is a lake in McHenry County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pistakee Lake?
- Pistakee Lake in McHenry County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 74 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.4 µg/L.
Is Pistakee Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Pistakee Lake?
- Pistakee Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lookout Point Park, a marina, Bald Knob Point, Oak Grove Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pistakee Lake?
- Pistakee Lake has 4 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 Pistakee Lake across LakeQuality
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Where to stay at Illinois's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
22 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_WQX22 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory