Friends Lake is a 450-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Warren County, New York. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Warren County, Friends Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Friends Lake water quality
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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 16.3 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.3 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 450 acres |
Where to stay near Friends Lake
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Fishing Friends Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +3.68 m/yr | 2 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 9 lakes in Warren County
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More records, surveys & data sources
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Friends Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Friends Lake Dam (completed 1954), built primarily for recreation on the TR-CHESTER CREEK; earth-type dam, 7 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 450 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,300 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.56 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- FRIENDS LAKE PROPERTY ASSOCIATION
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NY01514 · Operator website
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Friends Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- North Warren Central SchoolChestertown · 3.9 mi away · NPDES NY0252026
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
Most recent sample: 2020-09-12
Monitoring stations: 1