Mirror Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Essex County, New York. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Lake Trout, Landlocked Salmon, and Rainbow Trout. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Essex County, Mirror Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 22.6 ft down. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 22.6 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Mirror Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mirror Lake
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 9 lakes in Essex County
Nearby Lakes in Essex County
Explore Mirror Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across New York
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More records, surveys & data sources
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Mirror Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Lake Placid (V) WpcpLake Placid · 1.3 mi away · NPDES NY0022187MajorRecent violation
- Olympic Ski Jumping ComplexNorth Elba · 2.3 mi away · NPDES NY0296678
- C/O NydecRaybrook · 4.9 mi away · NPDES NY0183661
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.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2020-09-14
Monitoring stations: 1