Ellis Lake
Cortland County, New York44 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- Limited data
Ellis Lake in Cortland County, New York is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.8 ft visibility. Surface area: 43.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.8 ft
- Area
- 44 acres
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Watch Ellis Lake’s letter
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Why Ellis Lake has no grade
Ellis Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Ellis Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 7.8-foot median from 8 readings collected 2020 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NYSDEC and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Ellis Lake is a 44-acre lake in Cortland County, New York.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NYSDEC, last sampled 2020-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Ellis Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.8 ft. TSI 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 44 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Ellis Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Ellis Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ellis Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Melody Lake Dam (completed 1902), built primarily for recreation on the TR-WILLET CREEK; stone-type dam, 26 ft tall and 120 ft long.
- Surface area
- 43.6 ac
- Normal storage
- 410 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 620 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.64 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- MELODY LAKE ASSOCIATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NY00748 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Cortland County
Frequently asked questions about Ellis Lake
Where is Ellis Lake?
- Ellis Lake is a lake in Cortland County, New York. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Ellis Lake?
- Ellis Lake in Cortland County, New York is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.8 ft visibility. Surface area: 43.6 acres.
Is Ellis Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Ellis Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS8 samples · 2020
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.