Big Pond
Bennington County, VermontView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #1 of 8 in the county
Big Pond in Bennington County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 13 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Stays near Big Pond
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Watch Big Pond’s letter
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Big Pond is a mesotrophic lake in Bennington County, Vermont. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Bennington County, Big Pond ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-07-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Big Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.9 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Big Pond
- Melville Nauheim Shelter2.3 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Big Pond
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.055 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.88 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.48 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Big Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VT12-04L01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.32 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 8 lakes in Bennington County
Nearby Lakes in Bennington County
Frequently asked questions about Big Pond
Where is Big Pond?
- Big Pond is a lake in Bennington County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Big Pond?
- Big Pond in Bennington County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L.
Is Big Pond safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Big Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there campgrounds on Big Pond?
- Big Pond has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Melville Nauheim Shelter. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Big Pond across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Vermont
Mesotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
139 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ139 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- EPA approved Alternate Test Procedure for 4500 P H. Has a 28 day hold without acid preservation.
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles