Lake Paran
Bennington County, Vermont38 acresView mapDirections
Vermont DEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Paran. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Algal growth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Paran in Bennington County, Vermont has water-quality measurements published by Vermont DEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
Lake Paran is a 38-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Bennington County, Vermont. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Bennington County, Lake Paran ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Paran 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 Paran is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for algal growth, noxious aquatic plants, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Paran is safe to swim in today is a call for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Lake Paran
These are the measurements Vermont DEC publishes for Lake Paran, 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 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 40.
| 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 | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 40 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Lake Paran
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Surface area
38 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Vermont DEC
No bathymetric survey has been published for Lake Paran, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Lake ParanPublic
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 Paran
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Fishing Lake Paran
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Paran is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Paran (completed 1851), built primarily for recreation on the Paran Creek; earth-type dam, 50 ft tall and 720 ft long.
- Surface area
- 38 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 535 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 14.55 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- STATE OF VERMONT - AOT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00006 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Paran is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation, Other.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VT01-03L05 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Bennington County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Paran
Where is Lake Paran?
- Lake Paran is a lake in Bennington County, Vermont. Its water-quality measurements are published by Vermont DEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Paran?
- Lake Paran in Bennington County, Vermont has water-quality measurements published by Vermont DEC, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Surface area: 38 acres.
Is Lake Paran safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Paran is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for algal growth, noxious aquatic plants, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Paran?
- Lake Paran has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Paran. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Paran?
- Lake Paran 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 Vermont's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Lake Paran across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ20 samples · 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
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