Lake Beseck
Middlesex County, Connecticut116 acresView mapDirections
CT DEEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Beseck. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Beseck in Middlesex County, Connecticut has water-quality measurements published by CT DEEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.7 µg/L. Surface area: 116 acres.
Lake Beseck is a 116-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Middlesex County, Lake Beseck ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2022-07-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Beseck is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Beseck is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Beseck is safe to swim in today is a call for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Beseck
These are the measurements CT DEEP publishes for Lake Beseck, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 31.7 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 46µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 31.7µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 62 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Beseck
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
116 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by CT DEEP
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Beseck, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Beseck LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Beseck
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Beseck in Middlesex County, Connecticut — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Beseck are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Beseck
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Follow Lake Beseck’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Lake Beseck
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Beseck is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Beseck Dam (completed 1846), built primarily for recreation on the Ellen Doyle Brook; masonry-type dam, 34 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 116 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,256 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,089 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.05 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Connecticut DEEP
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CT00381 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Beseck is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CT4607-10-1-L1_01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Middlesex County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Beseck
Where is Lake Beseck?
- Lake Beseck is a lake in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Its water-quality measurements are published by CT DEEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Beseck?
- Lake Beseck in Middlesex County, Connecticut has water-quality measurements published by CT DEEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.7 µg/L. Surface area: 116 acres.
Is Lake Beseck safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Beseck is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for algal growth, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Beseck?
- Lake Beseck has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beseck Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Beseck?
- Lake Beseck has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Connecticut's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Beseck across LakeQuality
More lakes in Connecticut
Other Lakes in Connecticut
Eutrophic Lakes in Connecticut
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- Connecticut Department Of Energy And Environmental Protection
CT_DEP01_WQX10 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory