Pounds Hollow Lake
Gallatin County, Illinois28 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 1 in the county
- Limited data
Pounds Hollow Lake in Gallatin County, Illinois has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.2 µg/L. Surface area: 28 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Area
- 28 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pounds Hollow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pounds Hollow Lake in Gallatin 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 Pounds Hollow Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pounds Hollow Lake
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Watch Pounds Hollow Lake’s letter
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Pounds Hollow Lake is a 28-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Gallatin County, Illinois. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2020.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2020-11-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Pounds Hollow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 27.2 µg/L. TSI 58. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 27.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Pounds Hollow Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Nov (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 319 field readings (2010–2020) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pounds Hollow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 28 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Pounds Hollow Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Pounds Hollow Lake
- Pine Ridge-Pounds Hollow0.7 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
Fishing Pounds Hollow Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pounds Hollow Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pounds Hollow (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the ROBINETTE; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 478 ft long.
- Surface area
- 28 ac
- Normal storage
- 717 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- USDA FS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00101 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pounds Hollow Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Jader Coal Company-Mine #4Junction · 3.6 mi away · NPDES IL0061166
- Peabody Arclar Mining LlcEquality · 4.9 mi away · NPDES IL0064203
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 Gallatin County
Nearby Lakes in Gallatin County
Frequently asked questions about Pounds Hollow Lake
Where is Pounds Hollow Lake?
- Pounds Hollow Lake is a lake in Gallatin County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pounds Hollow Lake?
- Pounds Hollow Lake in Gallatin County, Illinois has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.2 µg/L. Surface area: 28 acres.
Is Pounds Hollow Lake safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pounds Hollow Lake?
- Pounds Hollow Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 319 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2020). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there campgrounds on Pounds Hollow Lake?
- Pounds Hollow Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Pine Ridge-Pounds Hollow. 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.
Explore Pounds Hollow Lake across LakeQuality
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Illinois
Eutrophic Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX52 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles