Skokie Lagoons Lake
Cook County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Illinois EPA publishes the water-quality measurements for Skokie Lagoons Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Skokie Lagoons Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 229 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 74.7 µg/L.
Skokie Lagoons Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Cook County, Illinois. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Skokie Lagoons Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-09-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Skokie Lagoons Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Skokie Lagoons 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.
Water quality measurements for Skokie Lagoons Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Skokie Lagoons Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 229 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 74.7 µg/L. TSI 75.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 229µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 74.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 75 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Skokie Lagoons Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Skokie Lagoons Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Skokie Lagoons Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Skokie Lagoons Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Skokie Lagoons Lake in Cook 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Skokie Lagoons Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Skokie Lagoons Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Skokie Lagoons Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Skokie Lagoons Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Other.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_RHJ · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Skokie Lagoons Lake
Where is Skokie Lagoons Lake?
- Skokie Lagoons Lake is a lake in Cook County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Skokie Lagoons Lake?
- Skokie Lagoons Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 229 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 74.7 µg/L.
Is Skokie Lagoons Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Skokie Lagoons Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Skokie Lagoons Lake?
- Skokie Lagoons Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Skokie Lagoons Lake?
- Public access to Skokie Lagoons Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
48 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_WQX48 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database