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.

How deep is Pistakee Lake?

Pistakee Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and an average depth of 7.4 feet. The lake covers 1744 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Pistakee Lake?

Pistakee Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include a marina, a marina, Lagoon Road.

Can I fish at Pistakee Lake?

Pistakee Lake has 3 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.

Pistakee Lake

McHenry County, Illinois1,744 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Illinois EPA for this lake.

Max depth

30 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

1,744 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

22.6 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
30 ft max depth

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Pistakee Lake in McHenry County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1744 acres.

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Pistakee Lake is a 1,744-acre lake in McHenry County, Illinois with a maximum depth of 30 feet (7-foot average). Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Pistakee Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch3 documented ramps
Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
Big water1,744 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pistakee 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 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.

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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.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Pistakee Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

30 ft

Average depth

7.4 ft

Surface area

1,744 acres

Shoreline

22.6 mi

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

a marinaSemi-private
a marinaSemi-private
Lagoon RoadSemi-private

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

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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.

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Fishing Pistakee Lake

→ Pistakee Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Pistakee Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

MercuryNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)PCBsTurbidity

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RTU · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in McHenry County

Pistakee Lake2.7 ft clear · Hypereutrophic0.5 miView →Lily Lake3.3 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Defiance Lake—View →McCullom Lake—View →Griswold Lake—View →Island LakeHypereutrophic—View →

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. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1744 acres.
Is Pistakee Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pistakee 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.
How deep is Pistakee Lake?: Pistakee Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and an average depth of 7.4 feet. The lake covers 1744 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Pistakee Lake?: Pistakee Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include a marina, a marina, Lagoon Road.
Can I fish at Pistakee Lake?: Pistakee Lake has 3 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.