Colchester Pond
Chittenden County, Vermont182 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
- #7 of 8 in the county
- 33 ft max depth
Colchester Pond in Chittenden County, Vermont has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 182 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~33 ft est.
- Area
- 182 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 17.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Colchester Pond’s letter
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Colchester Pond is a 182-acre mesotrophic lake in Chittenden County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 33 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Chittenden County, Colchester Pond ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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. Colchester Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Phosphorus 17.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~33 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 182 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Vermont has not published bathymetry for Colchester Pond.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Colchester Pond
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.054 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.38 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.46 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Colchester Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Colchester Pond (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the Pond Brook; concrete-type dam, 25 ft tall and 42 ft long.
- Surface area
- 182 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,260 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.82 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- WINOOSKI VALLEY PARK DISTRICT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00056 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Colchester Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VT05-09L02_02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.76 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 8 lakes in Chittenden County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Colchester Pond holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Chittenden County
Frequently asked questions about Colchester Pond
Where is Colchester Pond?
- Colchester Pond is a lake in Chittenden County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Colchester Pond?
- Colchester Pond in Chittenden County, Vermont has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Surface area: 182 acres.
Is Colchester Pond safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Colchester Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Colchester Pond?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Colchester Pond, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 33 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 182 acres.
Explore Colchester Pond across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Vermont
Mesotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
101 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
1VTDECWQ101 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)