Cheshire County Lake Quality
New Hampshire, 39 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Cheshire County's 39 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for New Hampshire. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. With an average grade of B, Cheshire County sits comfortably above the New Hampshire median.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Contoocook Lake-Deep Spot (A) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Cheshire County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Contoocook Lake-Deep Spot — or check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Cheshire County
39 lakes · 26 graded, 13 not rated26 graded lakes · 13 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AContoocook Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 14.4 µg/L | 2.4 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | AGilmore Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 8.8 µg/L | 2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | AHarrisville Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 8.9 µg/L | 4.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | ALaurel Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 8.2 µg/L | 2.9 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 5 | ASilver Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 5.9 µg/L | 2.4 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 6 | AStone Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 10.2 µg/L | 4.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 7 | AThorndike Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | A | No recent samples | 10.3 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 8 | BChesham Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 11.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 9 | BDublin Pond-Boat LandingCheshire | B | No recent samples | 5.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 10 | BDublin Pond-Dublin Lake ClubCheshire | B | No recent samples | 5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 11 | BDublin Pond-Womens ClubCheshire | B | No recent samples | 6.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 12 | BEmerson Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 14.8 µg/L | 12.9 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 13 | BFrost Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 10.4 µg/L | 3 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 14 | BKilburn Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 11.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 15 | BLake Monomonac-Loon BayCheshire | B | No recent samples | 11.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 16 | BPool Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 14.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 17 | BRockwood Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 9.9 µg/L | 4.7 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 18 | BSwanzey Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | B | No recent samples | 9.4 µg/L | 4.1 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 19 | BWarren Lake-Arbor Way BeachCheshire | B | No recent samples | 14.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 20 | CForest Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | C | No recent samples | 14.5 µg/L | 5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 21 | CLake Skatutakee-Deep SpotCheshire | C | No recent samples | 10.1 µg/L | 5.1 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 22 | CRussell Reservoir-Deep SpotCheshire | C | No recent samples | 17 µg/L | 4.9 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 23 | CWarren Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | C | No recent samples | 16.8 µg/L | 7.6 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 24 | CWilson Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | C | No recent samples | 16.8 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 25 | DLake Monomonac-Coot BayCheshire | D | No recent samples | 40.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 26 | DPearly Lake-Deep SpotCheshire | D | No recent samples | 29.7 µg/L | 8.3 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRArch Street Bridge LakeCheshire | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRContoocook Lake DamCheshire | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRContoocook Lake-South EndCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 11.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NREmerson Pond-Cathedral BeachCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 10.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NREmerson Pond-Wozniak BeachCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 10.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRIsland PondCheshire | NR | 8.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLaurel Lake-Keene Ave TribCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRNutting Road Bridge LakeCheshire | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRPecker Pond-Deep SpotCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 8.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRussell Reservoir-BeachCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 10.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSpofford LakeCheshire | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSwanzey Lake-Pilgrim Pines BeachCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSwanzey Lake-Public BeachCheshire | NR | No recent samples | 5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in New Hampshire
See how Cheshire County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.