Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water

Orleans County Lake Quality

Vermont, 39 lakes, average grade B (Good)

There are 39 monitored lakes in Orleans County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. 16 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Caspian Lake (A); the most-stressed is South Bay Lake (C).

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Quick Answers for Orleans County

Cleanest lakes in Orleans County →Cleanest lakes in Vermont →Safest swimming lakes in Vermont →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Caspian Lake — or check the official Vermont fishing regulations.

All Lakes in Orleans County

39 lakes · 16 graded, 23 not rated16 graded lakes · 23 not rated, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (23)

#	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Access
1	ACaspian LakeOrleans	A	29.5 ft	7.8 µg/L	1.3 µg/L	No recent samples	Not recorded
2	ASeymour LakeOrleans	A	24.6 ft	7.8 µg/L	1.3 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
3	AEcho LakeOrleans	A	23 ft	8 µg/L	1.6 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
4	ALake WilloughbyOrleans	A	28.2 ft	7.8 µg/L	1.6 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
5	AShadow LakeOrleans	A	28.9 ft	8.3 µg/L	1.4 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
6	ALake SalemOrleans	A	13.1 ft	14.8 µg/L	2.6 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
7	AHolland PondOrleans	A	7.9 ft	10.4 µg/L	4.5 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
8	ALake ParkerOrleans	A	13.1 ft	15.7 µg/L	4.2 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
9	ALake ElligoOrleans	A	26.2 ft	6.8 µg/L	1.1 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
10	AClyde PondOrleans	A	9.4 ft	14.7 µg/L	2.7 µg/L	No recent samples	Not recorded
11	ALittle Hosmer PondOrleans	A	No recent samples	9.2 µg/L	2.4 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
12	CSouth Bay LakeOrleans	C	4.4 ft	22.7 µg/L	6 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
13	CLake MemphremagogOrleans	C	10.5 ft	16.4 µg/L	5.5 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
14	CLong PondOrleans	C	14.2 ft	19.3 µg/L	7.2 µg/L	No recent samples	Not recorded
15	CGreat Hosmer PondOrleans	C	20.3 ft	21.5 µg/L	3.9 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
16	CBald Hill PondOrleans	C	13.1 ft	10.6 µg/L	8.1 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRBrownington PondOrleans	NR	8.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRLong PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRCrystal LakeOrleans	NR	19.4 ft	5.4 µg/L	0.9 µg/L	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRRound PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRPensioner PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRBeaver Pond OutletOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRJobs PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRHorse PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRTildys PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRDaniels PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRBaker PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLake DerbyOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWalker PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMay PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRPensioner PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRToad PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTurtle PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMud PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCharleston PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLake DerbyOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRGreat Hosmer PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMud PondOrleans	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRMcAllister PondOrleans	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.

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Other Counties in Vermont

Orange County

16 lakes · Avg grade A

Washington County

29 lakes · Avg grade A

Lamoille County

14 lakes · Avg grade A

Caledonia County

34 lakes · Avg grade A

Windham County

25 lakes · Avg grade A

Rutland County

42 lakes · Avg grade B

See how Orleans 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.