Mckay Lake
Shelburne, Nova Scotia28 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.
- 30 ft max depth
- Limited data
Mckay Lake in Shelburne, 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: 1.1 m visibility. Maximum depth: 29.5 ft. Surface area: 69.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.1 m
- Max depth
- 9 m
- Area
- 28 ha
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Why Mckay 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 Mckay 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.
Mckay Lake is a 69-acre lake in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 30 feet (7-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1980-08-05. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Mckay Lake
These are the measurements NSECC publishes for Mckay Lake. No A–F letter applies here: see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. TSI 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.1 m | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 m |
| Average Depth | 2.2 m |
| Surface Area | 28 ha |
Fishing Mckay Lake
Nearby Lakes in Shelburne
Frequently asked questions about Mckay Lake
Where is Mckay Lake?
- Mckay Lake is a lake in Shelburne, 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 Mckay Lake?
- Mckay Lake in Shelburne, 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: 1.1 m visibility. Maximum depth: 29.5 ft. Surface area: 69.2 acres.
Is Mckay Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Mckay Lake?
- Mckay Lake has a maximum depth of 29.5 feet and an average depth of 7.2 feet. The lake covers 69.2 acres.
Explore Mckay Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Nova Scotia
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 1980. Retrieved from Nova Scotia open data (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.
Collected and reported by
- Lands and Forests
Lands and Forests1 sample · 1980
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
976
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.