Little River Lake
Worcester County, Massachusetts200 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↓ down from B at the last regrade
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #17 of 24 in the county
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little River Lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 200 acres.
- Max depth
- ~40 ft est.
- Area
- 200 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 6.1 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little River Lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts — 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little River Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Little River Lake → · more Massachusetts lake trips
Watch Little River Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Little River Lake is a 200-acre mesotrophic lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts with an estimated average depth of about 40 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Worcester County, Little River Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2016-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 6.1 µg/L. TSI 48. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~40 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 200 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Massachusetts has not published bathymetry for Little River Lake.
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.
Fishing Little River Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buffumville Dam (completed 1958), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Little River; gravity-type dam, 66 ft tall and 3,255 ft long.
- Surface area
- 200 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,440 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 27 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- USACE - New England District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MA00964 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.11 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Little River Lake 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 MA42005 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.31 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 24 lakes in Worcester County
Nearby Lakes in Worcester County
Frequently asked questions about Little River Lake
Where is Little River Lake?
- Little River Lake is a lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little River Lake?
- Little River Lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L. Surface area: 200 acres.
Is Little River Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Little River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little River Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Little River Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 40 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 200 acres.
Explore Little River Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Massachusetts's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Massachusetts's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Massachusetts Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Massachusetts
Mesotrophic Lakes in Massachusetts
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
MASSDEP3 samples · 2016
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)