New York vs Pennsylvania, Lake Water Quality Comparison
A data-driven comparison of lake water quality between New York and Pennsylvania, built from EPA Water Quality Portal monitoring data.
| New York | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Lakes | 189 | 4 |
| Average Grade | B | F |
| Average Score | 2.85 | 0 |
| Grade A Lakes | 12 | 0 |
| Grade B Lakes | 3 | 0 |
| Grade C Lakes | 8 | 0 |
| Grade D Lakes | 4 | 0 |
| Grade F Lakes | 0 | 0 |
| Oligotrophic (Cleanest) | 9 | 0 |
| Eutrophic (High Nutrient) | 6 | 0 |
| Improving Trend | 19 | 1 |
| Declining Trend | 10 | 0 |
Analysis
New York has 189 graded lakes averaging a B (score 2.85), while Pennsylvania has 4 graded lakes averaging a F (score 0). On average water quality, New York comes out ahead.New York counts 12 Grade A lakes and 9 oligotrophic (clearest-class) lakes, against 0 and 0 for Pennsylvania.
Long-term monitoring shows 19 improving and 10 declining lakes in New York, versus 1 improving and 0 declining in Pennsylvania. Dataset coverage varies by state: New York has maximum-depth data for 0 lakes and documented fish species on 0, compared with 0 and 0 for Pennsylvania. Where a figure is zero, that state dataset has not yet been ingested — grades there rest on EPA clarity and nutrient measurements alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does New York or Pennsylvania have cleaner lakes?
New York has an average lake grade of B (score 2.85) while Pennsylvania averages F (score 0). New York has the better average water quality. Grades are computed from EPA Water Quality Portal clarity and nutrient measurements.
Which state has more graded lakes?
New York has 189 graded lakes while Pennsylvania has 4. Counts reflect lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal monitoring data to grade, not the total number of lakes in each state.