Fords Lake
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania69 acresView mapDirections
PA DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Fords Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- Public access
- Limited data
Fords Lake in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania has water-quality measurements published by PA DEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L. Surface area: 69 acres.
Fords Lake is a 69-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, PA DEP, last sampled 2022-11-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Fords Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fords Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fords Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Fords Lake
These are the measurements PA DEP publishes for Fords Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.5 µg/L.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 61.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Fords Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
69 acres
Shoreline
2 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by PA DEP
No bathymetric survey has been published for Fords Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Fords LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Fords Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fords Lake in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Fords Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Fords Lake
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Fishing Fords Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Fords Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit PA-LRP-02050106002873 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lackawanna County
Frequently asked questions about Fords Lake
Where is Fords Lake?
- Fords Lake is a lake in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Its water-quality measurements are published by PA DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fords Lake?
- Fords Lake in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania has water-quality measurements published by PA DEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L. Surface area: 69 acres.
Is Fords Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Fords Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Fords Lake?
- Fords Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fords Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fords Lake?
- Fords Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Pennsylvania's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Fords Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Fords Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory