Lake County, Illinois · Water Quality Report Card
Zurich Lake
Zurich Lake in Lake County, Illinois has a water quality grade of B (Good). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.9 µg/L.
- Mean depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
Zurich Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lake County, Illinois with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Zurich Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Illinois EPA, last sampled 2020-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a: 7.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No data | |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Illinois has not published bathymetry for Zurich Lake.
Where to stay near Zurich Lake
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Fishing Zurich Lake
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 19 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Explore Zurich Lake across LakeGrade
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Chain O'Lakes area
Where to stay at Illinois's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Illinois's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Illinois Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Illinois
Eutrophic Lakes in Illinois
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Zurich 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_RTS · Official waterbody report
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.
Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- illinois epa
IL_EPA_WQX8 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2020-09-23
Monitoring stations: 1