Lake Elligo
Orleans County, VermontView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
- #9 of 17 in the county
- 65 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Elligo in Orleans County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 26.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 26.2 ft
- Max depth
- ~65 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 6.8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.1 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Lake Elligo’s letter
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Lake Elligo is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Orleans County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 65 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Orleans County, Lake Elligo ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Elligo is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water26.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Lake Elligo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 26.2 ft down. Phosphorus 6.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.1 µg/L. TSI 31. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 26.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 6.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 31 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~65 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~30 ft est. |
| 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 Elligo.
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 ElligoPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Elligo
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.075 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.58 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Elligo 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 VT17-10L01_02 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #9 of 17 lakes in Orleans County
Nearby Lakes in Orleans County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Elligo
Where is Lake Elligo?
- Lake Elligo is a lake in Orleans County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Elligo?
- Lake Elligo in Orleans County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 26.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
Is Lake Elligo safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Lake Elligo is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Elligo?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake Elligo, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 65 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Elligo?
- Lake Elligo has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Elligo. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Elligo 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
39 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ39 samples · 2021–2025
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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory