Lake County, Illinois earned its name by having more lakes than any other county in the state. Yet beneath that natural abundance lies a troubling reality: more than 70% of Lake County’s 173 lakes are impaired by nutrient pollution, far above the national average of 50%. Lakes often feel like “orphans”—beautiful, longstanding features of the landscape that seem self‑sustaining. But the data tells a different story. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen fuel algae blooms, degrade ecosystems, and threaten recreation, wildlife, and public health. And unlike roads or bridges, lake restoration rarely receives dedicated funding. No “magic lake fairy” is coming to fix them. They need us.
In 2022, twelve neighbors decided to step up. Under the nonprofit Global Water Works, they formed Lake County Lake Lovers, believing volunteer action could make a measurable difference. Their efforts accelerated in 2024 when Xylem employees volunteering at Buffalo Grove Watershed Day introduced them to Xylem’s program donating professional‑grade water quality monitoring equipment. By late 2024, Lake Lovers received their first set of equipment.
In 2025, Lake Lovers launched a pilot program inviting any lake in the county to participate—if they could provide at least two volunteers. The pilot offered training and access to monitoring equipment every other week from April to October, generating decision‑quality data to guide lake management. In return, lake teams agreed to make their data public to help educate their communities.
Lake Lovers expected five lakes to join. Twelve applied. Assuming some would drop out, they accepted all twelve. None dropped. Volunteers attended monthly “Tech Team” meetings to share insights and learn from one another.
To celebrate Lake Appreciation Month in July 2025, Lake Lovers hosted Dinner & Lake Stories: The Good, The Bad & The Mucky at Dock’s Restaurant on Bangs Lake. More than 100 people attended, including a Chicago Tribune reporter who highlighted the “orphan status” of Lake County’s lakes. As the monitoring season ended, four lake teams presented their data to a volunteer scientific panel, gaining expert guidance for the 2026 season. In November, Lake Lovers celebrated a major milestone: all 12 lake teams completed the pilot, each receiving an estimated $8,400 in free water quality data, freeing up funds for restoration work.
The momentum continued. With more donated equipment from Xylem, Lake Lovers opened applications for the 2026 Monitoring Program. All 12 pilot lakes reapplied, joined by nine new lakes—a 75% increase, bringing the program to 21 lakes.
In July 2026, Lake Lovers hosted Algae‑Palooza, Dinner & Lake Stories at Parkway by the Lake on Long Lake. Lake teams shared stories grouped into three themes on battling “The Evil Phosphorumpus”—the excess phosphorus harming our waters.
1. Where We All Begin: Teamwork, Collaboration & Data Gathering
Teams from Butler Lake, Timber Lake, Tower Lake, Round Lake, Valley Lake, and Fox, Pistakee, Redhead and Grass Lakes shared how data and collaboration strengthened their efforts. Gary Swick of Friends of the Fox River highlighted the shared challenges between lake and river restoration.
2. Moving to Actions That Reduce Phosphorus
Saint Marys Lake, Lake Zurich, Sylvan Lake, Cedar Lake, Loch Lomond, and Gages Lake discussed how data guided treatment decisions. Kurt Woolford, Executive Director of Lake County Stormwater Management Commission, emphasized Lake Lovers’ growing impact.
3. Improving Lake Management Strategies
Teams from Lake Catherine & Channel Lake, Island Lake, Countryside Lake, Lake Aldo Leopold, and Long Lake shared how data is shaping long‑term plans. Shubh Varshney presented his Harvard Spark Summer Community Impact Project: a user‑friendly Internal Phosphorus Calculator, now live.
All lake stories are available on the new Lake County Lake Lovers YouTube channel.
Lake Lovers also advanced their transparency tools. In 2025, results were posted manually to Google Maps. In 2026, an AI‑powered system now automates data and trendline graphs directly to Google Earth. With rapid growth and more than 560 volunteers, Lake County Lake Lovers became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in June 2026.
At the 2026 Illinois Lakes Management Association Conference, Lake Lovers presented their recipe for change:
- Volunteers Who Adopt “Their” Lake
- Professional‑Grade Equipment for Decision‑Quality Data
- Education, Coaching & Relationship Building
- Transparency
Their mission is simple and powerful: improve the health of Lake County’s lakes. And they’ve shown what committed volunteers can achieve. With many Lake County lakes in the Fox River watershed, Lake Lovers looks forward to deeper collaboration with Friends of the Fox River. Together, we can improve water health.