Haystack Pond
Windham County, VermontView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #8 of 9 in the county
Haystack Pond in Windham County, Vermont has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 9.6 ft
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Watch Haystack Pond’s letter
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Haystack Pond is a mesotrophic lake in Windham County, Vermont. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Windham County, Haystack Pond ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2024-05-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Haystack Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.6 ft. Phosphorus 10.2 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Fishing Haystack Pond
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.214 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.24 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Haystack 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 VT12-05L01 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 9 lakes in Windham County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Haystack Pond holds Grade B. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Windham County
Frequently asked questions about Haystack Pond
Where is Haystack Pond?
- Haystack Pond is a lake in Windham County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Haystack Pond?
- Haystack Pond in Windham County, Vermont has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.2 µg/L.
Is Haystack Pond safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Haystack Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Haystack Pond across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Vermont
Mesotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
69 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ69 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- 4500 P H ~ Manual Digestion and Flow Injection Analysis for Total Phosphorus
- 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
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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