Vermont City Lake
McDonough County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run well above the regional average.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Metals (other than mercury)
- #1 of 1 in the county
- 32 ft max depth
- Limited data
Vermont City Lake in McDonough County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 130.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.8 µg/L.
- Typical in August
- 81°F
- Max depth
- ~32 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 130.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 45.8 µg/L
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Vermont City Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Vermont City Lake in McDonough 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Vermont City Lake are listed below.
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Watch Vermont City Lake’s letter
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Vermont City Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in McDonough County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 32 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Vermont City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 130.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 45.8 µg/L. TSI 71. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 130.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 45.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Water Temperature
Vermont City Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 81°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 85°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 60 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Vermont City Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~32 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~8 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Vermont City 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.
Fishing Vermont City Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Vermont City Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Vermont City Reservoir Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for recreation on the TRIB SUGAR CREEK; earth-type dam, 36 ft tall and 500 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 331 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 704 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- VILLAGE OF VERMONT
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00272 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Vermont City 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_RDM · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Vermont City Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Vermont Sd StpVermont · 2.6 mi away · NPDES IL0049654Recent 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 McDonough County
Nearby Lakes in McDonough County
Frequently asked questions about Vermont City Lake
Where is Vermont City Lake?
- Vermont City Lake is a lake in McDonough County, Illinois. LakeQuality grades it F for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Vermont City Lake?
- Vermont City Lake in McDonough County, Illinois has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Phosphorus: 130.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.8 µg/L.
Is Vermont City Lake safe to swim in?
- The F is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Vermont City Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for metals (other than mercury), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pesticides, turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Vermont City Lake?
- Vermont City Lake typically sits around 81°F at the surface in August, from 60 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Vermont City Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Vermont City Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 32 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Vermont City Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX25 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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)