Sam Dale Lake
Wayne County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #2 of 3 in the county
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sam Dale Lake in Wayne County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 95.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 1.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 88°F
- Max depth
- ~43 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 206 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 95.2 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Sam Dale Lake
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Sam Dale Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wayne County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Wayne County, Sam Dale Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sam Dale Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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. Sam Dale Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 95.2 µg/L. TSI 77. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 206 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 95.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 77 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Sam Dale Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 85°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 88°F) and coldest in Oct (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 96 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sam Dale Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~43 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 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 Sam Dale 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.
Recreation & Access
- Sam Dale LakePublic
- Sam Dale LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sam Dale Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sam Dale Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sam Dale Lake Dam (completed 1960), built primarily for recreation on the BOBBS CREEK; earth-type dam, 22 ft tall and 912 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 999 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,385 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00406 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sam Dale Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RBF · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sam Dale Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Trunkline Gas CompanyJohnsonville · 3.4 mi away · NPDES IL0004294Recent violation
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 #2 of 3 lakes in Wayne County
Nearby Lakes in Wayne County
Frequently asked questions about Sam Dale Lake
Where is Sam Dale Lake?
- Sam Dale Lake is a lake in Wayne County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sam Dale Lake?
- Sam Dale Lake in Wayne County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 206 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 95.2 µg/L.
Is Sam Dale Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sam Dale Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sam Dale Lake?
- Sam Dale Lake typically sits around 88°F at the surface in August, from 96 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sam Dale Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sam Dale Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Sam Dale Lake?
- Sam Dale Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sam Dale Lake, Sam Dale Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sam Dale 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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Other Grade F Lakes in Illinois
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX52 samples · 2021
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory