Sara Lake
Effingham County, Illinois586 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
↓ down from D at the last regrade
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 54 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sara Lake in Effingham County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.9 µg/L. Surface area: 586 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 68°F
- Max depth
- ~54 ft est.
- Area
- 586 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 59.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 33.9 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Sara Lake is a 586-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Effingham County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 54 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2022-10-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sara Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 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. Sara Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 59.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 33.9 µg/L. TSI 65. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 59.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 33.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Sara Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in Apr (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 261 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sara Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~54 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~46 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 586 acres |
| 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 Sara 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
- Bluegill MarinaPublic
- Lake SaraPublic
- Lake SaraPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Sara Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sara Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Sara Dam (completed 1957), built primarily for recreation on the BLUE POINT CREEK; earth-type dam, 65 ft tall and 1,625 ft long.
- Surface area
- 586 ac
- Normal storage
- 11,720 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 20,392 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 12.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- EFFINGHAM WATER AUTHORITY
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00607 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sara 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_RCE · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
10 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Sara Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 8 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lee Kaufman Private Sewage Disposal SystemEffingham · 0.3 mi away · NPDES IL0080277Recent violation
- Debra Holschbach Private Sewage Disposal SystemEffingham · 0.4 mi away · NPDES IL0080276Recent violation
- Austin J And Megan C Parr Private Sewage Disposal SystemEffingham · 0.4 mi away · NPDES IL0080264Recent violation
- Tony Stevens Private Sewage Disposal SystemEffingham · 0.5 mi away · NPDES IL0080267Recent violation
- Cole Koester Private Sewage Disposal SystemEffingham · 0.9 mi away · NPDES IL0080281Recent violation
- Lake Sara Car WashEffingham · 2.1 mi away · NPDES IL0075922Recent 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 #1 of 1 lakes in Effingham County
Nearby Lakes in Effingham County
Frequently asked questions about Sara Lake
Where is Sara Lake?
- Sara Lake is a lake in Effingham County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sara Lake?
- Sara Lake in Effingham County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.9 µg/L. Surface area: 586 acres.
Is Sara Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sara Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sara Lake?
- Sara Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 261 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sara Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sara Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 54 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 586 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Sara Lake?
- Sara Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bluegill Marina, Lake Sara, Lake Sara. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sara Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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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Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX48 samples · 2022
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