Buckley-Dunton Lake
Berkshire County, Massachusetts154 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #6 of 8 in the county
- Limited data
Buckley-Dunton Lake in Berkshire County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 154 acres.
- Area
- 154 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.9 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Buckley-Dunton Lake’s letter
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Buckley-Dunton Lake is a 154-acre mesotrophic lake in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Berkshire County, Buckley-Dunton Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2016-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Buckley-Dunton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 6.9 µg/L. TSI 50. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.9 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 154 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Buckley-Dunton Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Buckley-Dunton Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Buckley-Dunton Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buckley Dunton Lake Dam (completed 1870), built primarily for recreation on the Yokum Brook; earth-type dam, 22 ft tall and 370 ft long.
- Surface area
- 154 ac
- Normal storage
- 870 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MA Department of Conservation and Recreation
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MA00202 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Buckley-Dunton Lake 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 MA32013 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 8 lakes in Berkshire County
Nearby Lakes in Berkshire County
Frequently asked questions about Buckley-Dunton Lake
Where is Buckley-Dunton Lake?
- Buckley-Dunton Lake is a lake in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Buckley-Dunton Lake?
- Buckley-Dunton Lake in Berkshire County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.9 µg/L. Surface area: 154 acres.
Is Buckley-Dunton Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Buckley-Dunton Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Buckley-Dunton Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 12.1 mi, nearest Glendale Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Massachusetts's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
MASSDEP3 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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