Little Clear Pond
Franklin County, New YorkView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- #3 of 7 in the county
Little Clear Pond in Franklin County, New York has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L.
- Typical in September
- 64°F
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 16.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 5.2 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
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Watch Little Clear Pond’s letter
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Little Clear Pond is a mesotrophic lake in Franklin County, New York. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Franklin County, Little Clear Pond ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NYSDEC, last sampled 2023-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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. Little Clear Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 46. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 16.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Little Clear Pond typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Feb (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2017–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Clear Pond water temperature breakdown →
Fishing Little Clear Pond
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.7 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Clear Pond 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 NY0902-0005 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.45 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Clear Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- St Regis Falls WwtpSaint Regis Falls · 2.8 mi away · NPDES NY0255858Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 7 lakes in Franklin County
Nearby Lakes in Franklin County
Frequently asked questions about Little Clear Pond
Where is Little Clear Pond?
- Little Clear Pond is a lake in Franklin County, New York. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Clear Pond?
- Little Clear Pond in Franklin County, New York has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L.
Is Little Clear Pond safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Little Clear Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Clear Pond?
- Little Clear Pond typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Little Clear Pond across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- USGS New York Water Science Center
USGS-NY35 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- P, wu, WCA, persulfate CF color
- Chlorophyll a,fluorometric,uncor
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)