Orange County Lake Quality
Vermont, 16 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
There are 16 monitored lakes in Orange County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. 4 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. On average, Orange County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Vermont county ranking.
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. Lake Fairlee (A) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Orange County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Fairlee — or check the official Vermont fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Orange County
16 lakes · 4 graded, 12 not rated4 graded lakes · 12 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALake FairleeOrange | A | 21.7 ft | 14.3 µg/L | 2.7 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 2 | ALake MoreyOrange | A | 19.7 ft | 15.2 µg/L | 2.8 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 3 | ASunset LakeOrange | A | No recent samples | 13.6 µg/L | 2.6 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 4 | AHalls LakeOrange | A | 13.9 ft | 13.1 µg/L | 4.4 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRTenney PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHarriman PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRMiller PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRUnnamed Pond Referred To by Dec As WaitsOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRStaples PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRNorth PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLamson PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRBaker PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRThurman W. Dix ReservoirOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRRound PondOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake AbenakiOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRLake FairleeOrange | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. 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 Vermont
See how Orange County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.