Canandaigua Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Ontario County, New York. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Brown Trout and Lake Trout. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Ontario County, Canandaigua Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 17.6 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.6 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Canandaigua Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Canandaigua Lake
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Ontario County
Nearby Lakes in Ontario County
Explore Canandaigua Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Ontario County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More records, surveys & data sources
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Canandaigua Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Bristol Sewerage Disposal CorpCanandaigua · 2.9 mi away · NPDES NY0063584Recent violation
- Rushville (V) StpGorham · 4 mi away · NPDES NY0161071Recent violation
- Williams PropertySouth Bristol · 3.4 mi away · NPDES NY0162809
- Dollinger PropertyMiddlesex · 4.7 mi away · NPDES NY0161128
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2020-09-20
Monitoring stations: 1