Cuba Lake is a 465-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Allegany County, New York. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2020.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B, Good
Good clarity, visible to about 14.6 ft. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.6 ft | B |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 465 acres |
Where to stay near Cuba Lake
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Fishing Cuba Lake
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Allegany County
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cuba Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cuba Lake Dam (completed 1872), built primarily for recreation on the OIL CREEK; earth-type dam, 55 ft tall and 1,750 ft long.
- Surface area
- 465 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,215 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 16,498 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 25.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CUBA LAKE DISTRICT;New York State Office of General Services
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NY00455 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Cuba Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NY0201-0016 · Official waterbody report
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 Cuba Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Cuba (V) WwtfCuba · 2.2 mi away · NPDES NY0023515Recent violation
- Great Lakes Cheese Cuba PlantCuba · 3.6 mi away · NPDES NY0003646Recent violation
- Deming Electoplating Corp.Cuba · 2.1 mi away · NPDES NYP080560
- Acme Electric Corp, EngineeredUnknown · 2.2 mi away · NPDES NYP080020
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2020-09-15
Monitoring stations: 1