Woods Creek Lake is a 9-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in McHenry County, Illinois. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in McHenry County, Woods Creek Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois DNR, last sampled 2022-10-05. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C, Fair
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 45.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | 45.5 µg/L | C |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
Where to stay near Woods Creek Lake
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Fishing Woods Creek Lake
Recreation & Access
Water Temperature
Woods Creek Lake averages about 69°F at the surface in summer, usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 93 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Woods Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in McHenry County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Woods Creek Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- BSilver LakeMcHenry County · 5.7 mi · Higher grade (C → B)
- BLily LakeMcHenry County · 11.7 mi · Higher grade (C → B)
Nearby Lakes in McHenry County
Explore Woods Creek Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Illinois's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade C Lakes in Illinois
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More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Woods Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake In The Hills Dam 1 (completed 1926), built primarily for recreation on the WOODS CREEK; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 780 ft long.
- Surface area
- 9.3 ac
- Normal storage
- 598 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 969 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- VILLAGE OF LAKE IN THE HILLS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID IL00568 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.51 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Woods Creek 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_RTZZ · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Woods Creek Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 4 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lake In The Hills Sd StpLake In The Hills · 0.8 mi away · NPDES IL0021733MajorRecent violation
- Crystal Lake Wwtp #2, City OfCrystal Lake · 2 mi away · NPDES IL0028282MajorRecent violation
- Algonquin Wwtp, Village OfAlgonquin · 2.5 mi away · NPDES IL0023329MajorRecent violation
- Huntley East Wwtp, Village OfHuntley · 5 mi away · NPDES IL0029238MajorRecent violation
- Camp Algonquin StpAlgonquin · 2.9 mi away · NPDES IL0031917
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-10-05
Monitoring stations: 3