The report is Vol. VII of a series of seven reports summarizing Illinois' 1987 Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program. It provides a program overview, a summary of 1987 VLMP lakes in Southern Illinois, including a discussion of lake characteristics, volunteer participation, and a ranking of lakes on a regional basis. Southern Illinois results are compared to statewide statistics. Lake assessment information from the Illinois Water Quality Report 1986-1987 for Southern VLMP lakes is provided and discussed. Lake/watershed management strategies are described. Twenty-one volunteers recorded total depth, Secchi disc transparency, and field observations for 18 lakes in Southern Illinois between May and October, 1987. Three of the lakes were classified as mesotrophic, and the remainder, eutrophic, based on average Secchi disc transparency.