Long Pond
Worcester County, MassachusettsView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
↑ up from B at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #1 of 24 in the county
- 48 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Long Pond in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~48 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.1 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Long Pond’s letter
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Long Pond is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts with an estimated average depth of about 48 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2016. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Worcester County, Long Pond ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2016-08-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Long Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Long Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 1.1 µg/L. TSI 32. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~48 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| 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 Long Pond.
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
- Long PondPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Long Pond
EPA Impairment Status
Long Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MA36082 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 24 lakes in Worcester County
Nearby Lakes in Worcester County
Frequently asked questions about Long Pond
Where is Long Pond?
- Long Pond is a lake in Worcester County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Long Pond?
- Long Pond in Worcester County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.1 µg/L.
Is Long Pond safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Long Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Long Pond?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Long Pond, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 48 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 Long Pond?
- Long Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Long Pond. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Long Pond across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts
Oligotrophic 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory