Grass Pond
Franklin County, New YorkView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #5 of 7 in the county
- 26 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Grass Pond in Franklin County, New York has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~26 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 18 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 4.1 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Grass Pond’s letter
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Grass Pond is a mesotrophic lake in Franklin County, New York with an estimated average depth of about 26 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Franklin County, Grass Pond ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NYSDEC, last sampled 2023-07-10. 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 C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Grass Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.1 µg/L. TSI 45. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~26 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. New York has not published bathymetry for Grass Pond.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Grass Pond
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.7 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Grass Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NY0902-0005 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.76 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 7 lakes in Franklin County
Nearby Lakes in Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Grass Pond
Where is Grass Pond?
- Grass Pond is a lake in Franklin County, New York. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Grass Pond?
- Grass Pond in Franklin County, New York has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L.
Is Grass Pond safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Grass Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Grass Pond?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Grass Pond, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 26 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Grass Pond across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS New York Water Science Center
USGS-NY7 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Chlorophyll a,fluorometric,uncor
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)