Harveys Lake
Caledonia County, Vermont409 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Hydrologic alteration
- #2 of 9 in the county
- 57 ft max depth
- Public access
Harveys Lake in Caledonia County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Surface area: 409 acres.
- Clarity
- 21 ft
- Max depth
- ~57 ft est.
- Area
- 409 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 8.4 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Harveys Lake’s letter
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Harveys Lake is a 409-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Caledonia County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 57 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Caledonia County, Harveys Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-24. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Harveys Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water21 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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. Harveys Lake 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 21 ft down. Phosphorus 8.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 34. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 21 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 34 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~57 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~37 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 409 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Vermont has not published bathymetry for Harveys Lake.
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 Harveys Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.096 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.4 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.24 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Harveys Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Harveys Lake (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the Stevens River; concrete-type dam, 17 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 409 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- TOWN OF BARNET
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00051 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Harveys Lake 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 VT14-09L05 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 9 lakes in Caledonia County
Nearby Lakes in Caledonia County
Frequently asked questions about Harveys Lake
Where is Harveys Lake?
- Harveys Lake is a lake in Caledonia County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Harveys Lake?
- Harveys Lake in Caledonia County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Surface area: 409 acres.
Is Harveys Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Harveys Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for hydrologic alteration. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Harveys Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Harveys Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 57 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 409 acres.
Explore Harveys Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Vermont's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Other Grade A Lakes in Vermont
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Where this data comes from
208 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ208 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- EPA approved Alternate Test Procedure for 4500 P H. Has a 28 day hold without acid preservation.
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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)