Cleanest Lakes in New York
Main Section Lake in Essex County leads the rankings with a water quality grade of A and 15.7 ft of clarity. Below are the top 13 cleanest monitored lakes in New York, ranked by EPA water quality score.
Ranked List
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main Section Lake | Essex | A | 15.7 ft | 9.5 µg/L | 4.6 µg/L |
| 2 | Queneska Island Lake | Essex | A | 17.4 ft | 15 µg/L | 3.4 µg/L |
| 3 | Owasco Lake Platform | Cayuga | A | 11 ft | 6 µg/L | 2 µg/L |
| 4 | Seneca Lake Platform | Seneca | A | 11.5 ft | 6 µg/L | 2.6 µg/L |
| 5 | Isle la Motte Lake | Clinton | A | 15.4 ft | 8.7 µg/L | 5 µg/L |
| 6 | Isle la Motte Lake | Clinton | A | 12.5 ft | 12.3 µg/L | 4.6 µg/L |
| 7 | Main Section Lake | Clinton | A | 14.8 ft | 9.4 µg/L | 4.7 µg/L |
| 8 | Sodus Bay Lake | Wayne | B | 8 ft | 18 µg/L | 9.1 µg/L |
| 9 | Irondequoit Bay Lake | Monroe | C | 7 ft | 27.5 µg/L | 12.9 µg/L |
| 10 | Southern Section Lake | Essex | C | 2.6 ft | 22.9 µg/L | 10.4 µg/L |
| 11 | Southern Section Lake | Washington | D | 2 ft | 36.7 µg/L | 13.8 µg/L |
| 12 | Irondequoit Bay Lake | Monroe | D | 5.3 ft | - | 24.2 µg/L |
| 13 | Lk Ontario Lake | Monroe | D | - | 126 µg/L | 17.1 µg/L |