Shabbona Lake
DeKalb County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↑ up from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 49 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shabbona Lake in DeKalb County, Illinois has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- ~49 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 28 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 13.3 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Shabbona Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in DeKalb County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2022-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Shabbona Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- 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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Shabbona Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.3 µg/L. TSI 54. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Shabbona Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 481 field readings (2012–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shabbona Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 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 Shabbona 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
- Shabbona LakePublic
- Shabbona LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Shabbona Lake
- Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area Campground1.0 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 Shabbona Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Shabbona Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Shabbona Lake Dam (completed 1974), built primarily for other on the INDIAN CREEK; earth-type dam, 56 ft tall and 2,570 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 4,275 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,387 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
All listed purposes: Other;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL01202 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Shabbona Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_VTU · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in DeKalb County
Nearby Lakes in DeKalb County
Frequently asked questions about Shabbona Lake
Where is Shabbona Lake?
- Shabbona Lake is a lake in DeKalb County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Shabbona Lake?
- Shabbona Lake in DeKalb County, Illinois has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.3 µg/L.
Is Shabbona Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Shabbona Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Shabbona Lake?
- Shabbona Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 481 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2012–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Shabbona Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Shabbona Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 49 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 Shabbona Lake?
- Shabbona Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shabbona Lake, Shabbona Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Shabbona Lake?
- Shabbona Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area Campground. 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 Shabbona Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
45 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_WQX45 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles