Lake Carmi
Franklin County, Vermont1,375 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- #4 of 5 in the county
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Carmi in Franklin County, Vermont has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.3 µg/L. Surface area: 1375 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.9 ft
- Max depth
- ~41 ft est.
- Area
- 1,375 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Phosphorus
- 40 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 20.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Carmi
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Carmi in Franklin County, Vermont — 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Carmi are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Carmi
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Watch Lake Carmi’s letter
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Lake Carmi is a 1,375-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Franklin County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 41 feet. Water quality is graded D 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Franklin County, Lake Carmi ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Carmi is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Big water1,375 acres
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Carmi is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nuisance exotic species, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.3 µg/L. TSI 57. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~41 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 1,375 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 Lake Carmi.
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.
Recreation & Access
- Lake CarmiPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Carmi
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.089 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +10.14 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Carmi is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Carmi (completed 1970), built primarily for recreation on the Pike River-Tr; concrete-type dam, 17 ft tall and 160 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,375 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 12.05 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- STATE OF VERMONT - DEC
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00210 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Carmi 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 VT05-02L01_03 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in Franklin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Carmi holds Grade D. 2 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 Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Carmi
Where is Lake Carmi?
- Lake Carmi is a lake in Franklin County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Carmi?
- Lake Carmi in Franklin County, Vermont has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.3 µg/L. Surface area: 1375 acres.
Is Lake Carmi safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Carmi is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for algal growth, nuisance exotic species, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Carmi?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Carmi, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 41 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 1375 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Carmi?
- Lake Carmi has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Carmi. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Carmi across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Vermont
Eutrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
1,530 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ1,530 samples · 2020–2025
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
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory