Mcadams Lake
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia31 haView mapDirections
No A–F letter for this lake. The letter is scored against EPA reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and those stop at the US border. Here is what has been measured.
- 33 ft max depth
- Limited data
Mcadams Lake in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC and no A–F letter. The letter's EPA reference conditions stop at the US border. Water clarity: 5.3 m visibility. Maximum depth: 32.8 ft. Surface area: 77.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.3 m
- Max depth
- 10 m
- Area
- 31 ha
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Why Mcadams Lake has no A–F letter
The LakeQuality letter is scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and those stop at the US border. There is no reference condition for Nova Scotia, so the scale cannot be applied to Mcadams Lake at any level of sampling. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
This is not a gap in the monitoring record. NSECC publishes these measurements directly, and everything below that has been measured is reported on this page as NSECC reports it.
Monitoring: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change. Read the full grading methodology.
Mcadams Lake is a 77-acre lake in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 33 feet (11-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1976-08-17. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Mcadams Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.4 ft of visibility
- Deep water32.8 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Mcadams Lake
These are the measurements NSECC publishes for Mcadams Lake. No A–F letter applies here: see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.4 ft down. TSI 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.3 m | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 m |
| Average Depth | 3.4 m |
| Surface Area | 31 ha |
Fishing Mcadams Lake
Nearby Lakes in Cape Breton
Frequently asked questions about Mcadams Lake
Where is Mcadams Lake?
- Mcadams Lake is a lake in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Its water-quality measurements are published by NSECC, and it carries no A–F letter, because no reference condition exists for lakes in this region, so the assessment thresholds behind the A–F scale cannot be applied here.
What is the water quality grade for Mcadams Lake?
- Mcadams Lake in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC and no A–F letter. The letter's EPA reference conditions stop at the US border. Water clarity: 5.3 m visibility. Maximum depth: 32.8 ft. Surface area: 77.3 acres.
Is Mcadams Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Mcadams Lake?
- Mcadams Lake has a maximum depth of 32.8 feet and an average depth of 11.2 feet. The lake covers 77.3 acres.
Explore Mcadams Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 1975–1976. Retrieved from Nova Scotia open data (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.
Collected and reported by
- NS Dept. of Fisheries
NS Dept. of Fisheries1 sample · 1989 - Lands and Forests
Lands and Forests1 sample · 1976 - DFO
DFO1 sample · 1975
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
56
Canadian lakes are published with the measurements their provincial programme reports, and without a LakeQuality A–F letter. The letter is scored against EPA reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and the EPA does not survey these lakes. See how grades are calculated and data sources.