Gaston Pond
Worcester County, Massachusetts16 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Hydrologic alteration
- #2 of 24 in the county
- Limited data
Gaston Pond in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Surface area: 16 acres.
- Area
- 16 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.5 µg/L
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Watch Gaston Pond’s letter
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Gaston Pond is a 16-acre mesotrophic lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Worcester County, Gaston Pond ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2016-08-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Gaston Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for hydrologic alteration. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 3.5 µg/L. TSI 43. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Gaston Pond, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Gaston Pond
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Gaston Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Gaston Pond Dam (completed 1915), built primarily for recreation on the Rutland Brook; earth-type dam, 14 ft tall and 250 ft long.
- Surface area
- 16 ac
- Normal storage
- 76 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 140 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Town of Barre
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MA00095 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Gaston 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 MA36114 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.42 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 24 lakes in Worcester County
Nearby Lakes in Worcester County
Frequently asked questions about Gaston Pond
Where is Gaston Pond?
- Gaston Pond is a lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Gaston Pond?
- Gaston Pond in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Surface area: 16 acres.
Is Gaston Pond safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Gaston Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for hydrologic alteration. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Gaston Pond across LakeQuality
13.6 mi away · 175 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
MASSDEP3 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database