Where is Sterling Lake?

Sterling Lake is a lake in Lake County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Sterling Lake?

Sterling Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 13.5 feet. The lake covers 87 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Sterling Lake?

Sterling Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sterling Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Sterling Lake?

Sterling Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.

Sterling Lake

Lake County, Illinois87 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Illinois EPA for this lake.

Max depth

27 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

87 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

2.7 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
27 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Sterling Lake in Lake County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 87 acres.

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Sterling Lake is a 87-acre lake in Lake County, Illinois with a maximum depth of 27 feet (14-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Sterling Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sterling Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Sterling 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.

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Water quality measurements for Sterling Lake

These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Sterling Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Sterling Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

27 ft

Average depth

13.5 ft

Surface area

87 acres

Shoreline

2.7 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Illinois EPA

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Sterling LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Sterling Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sterling Lake in Lake 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Sterling Lake

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Fishing Sterling Lake

→ Sterling Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Sterling Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

MercuryPesticides

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit IL_WGZJ · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Elmwood Farms Lake3.5 miView →Huntley Lake4.5 miView →Deer Lake4.8 miView →Waterford Lake5.5 miView →Lake Linden5.8 miView →White Lake5.5 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Sterling Lake

Where is Sterling Lake?: Sterling Lake is a lake in Lake County, Illinois. Its water-quality measurements are published by Illinois EPA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sterling Lake?: Sterling Lake in Lake County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 87 acres.
Is Sterling Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sterling Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pesticides. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sterling Lake?: Sterling Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 13.5 feet. The lake covers 87 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Sterling Lake?: Sterling Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sterling Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sterling Lake?: Sterling Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.