Salem County Lake Quality
New Jersey, 4 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Salem County has 4 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
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. Elmer Lake (D) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Salem County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Elmer Lake — or check the official New Jersey fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Salem County
4 lakes · 2 graded, 2 not rated2 graded lakes · 2 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DElmer LakeSalem | D | 2.5 ft | 120 µg/L | 27.1 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | DEvans PondSalem | D | 0.7 ft | 440 µg/L | 22 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRFox Mill LakeSalem | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | 131 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRSalem River ReservoirSalem | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | 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.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in New Jersey
See how Salem 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.