Wampum Lake
Cook County, IllinoisView mapDirections
Illinois EPA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wampum Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Wampum Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.7 µg/L.
Wampum Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cook County, Illinois. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Wampum Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2021-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Wampum Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wampum 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 Wampum Lake
These are the measurements Illinois EPA publishes for Wampum Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.7 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 24µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Wampum Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Wampum Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 81°F) and coldest in Oct (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 196 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wampum Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Wampum Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wampum 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Wampum Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Wampum Lake
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
30 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Wampum Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Envirite Of Il Inc - HarveyHarvey · 2.4 mi away · NPDES IL0071285Recent violation
- Allied Tube And Conduit CorporationHarvey · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IL0063649Recent violation
- Allied Tube And Conduit Corp - SmpfHarvey · 3.1 mi away · NPDES IL0078930Recent violation
- Illinois Central RailroadHomewood · 3.6 mi away · NPDES IL0005193Recent violation
- Material Service Corp-Yard 41Thornton · 1.4 mi away · NPDES IL0001937
- Ely'S Mobile Home Park StpHomewood · 2.6 mi away · NPDES IL0056065
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.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Wampum Lake
Where is Wampum Lake?
- Wampum 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 Wampum Lake?
- Wampum Lake in Cook County, Illinois has water-quality measurements published by Illinois EPA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.7 µg/L.
Is Wampum Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wampum Lake?
- Wampum Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 196 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Wampum Lake across LakeQuality
Planning a trip around Indiana Dunes?
Wampum Lake is about 26 miles from Indiana Dunes National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Indiana Dunes →More lakes in Illinois
Other Lakes in Illinois
Eutrophic Lakes in Illinois
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX36 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- MEASURED IN FIELD
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)