Indian Brook Reservoir
Chittenden County, Vermont48 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
- #3 of 8 in the county
- 40 ft max depth
Indian Brook Reservoir in Chittenden County, Vermont has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 48 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~40 ft est.
- Area
- 48 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 21.3 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Indian Brook Reservoir’s letter
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Indian Brook Reservoir is a 48-acre mesotrophic lake in Chittenden County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 40 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Chittenden County, Indian Brook Reservoir ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Indian Brook Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.1 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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. Indian Brook Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft. Phosphorus 21.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.3 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 48 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Vermont has not published bathymetry for Indian Brook Reservoir.
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 Indian Brook Reservoir
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.356 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.41 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.14 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Indian Brook Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Indian Brook Reservoir (completed 1957), built primarily for recreation on the Indian Brook; concrete-type dam, 31 ft tall and 238 ft long.
- Surface area
- 48 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,084 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,157 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.23 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- TOWN OF ESSEX
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00055 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Indian Brook Reservoir 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 VT05-09L02_02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.2 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 8 lakes in Chittenden County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Indian Brook Reservoir holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Chittenden County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Brook Reservoir
Where is Indian Brook Reservoir?
- Indian Brook Reservoir is a lake in Chittenden County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Indian Brook Reservoir?
- Indian Brook Reservoir in Chittenden County, Vermont has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Surface area: 48 acres.
Is Indian Brook Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Indian Brook Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Indian Brook Reservoir?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Indian Brook Reservoir, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 40 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 48 acres.
Explore Indian Brook Reservoir across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Vermont
Mesotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
150 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ150 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 (2)
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)