Oquaga Lake is a 134-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Broome County, New York. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Broome County, Oquaga Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-13. 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 26.2 ft down. Trophic State Index: 30.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 26.2 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 30 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 134 acres |
Where to stay near Oquaga Lake
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Fishing Oquaga Lake
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Broome County
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Oquaga Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Oquaga Lake Dam, built primarily for recreation on the STARBOARD CREEK; concrete-type dam, 7 ft tall and 33 ft long.
- Surface area
- 134 ac
- Normal storage
- 168 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 838 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- G HOLDREGE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NY01479 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Oquaga Lake 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 NY1404-0033 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.09 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
7 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Oquaga Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Sanford (T) - Oquaga Lake StpDeposit · 0.9 mi away · NPDES NY0110795Recent violation
- Deposit (V) WpcpDeposit · 3.1 mi away · NPDES NY0029211Recent violation
- Reddon Ghost Mtn QuarrySusquehanna · 4.8 mi away · NPDES PA0226289Recent violation
- Superior Plus Energy Services (Deposit)Deposit · 2.4 mi away · NPDES NY0244384
- Coleman Sherman QuarrySusquehanna · 2.8 mi away · NPDES PA0225045
- Cox 1 Stevens Point QuarrySusquehanna · 4 mi away · NPDES PA0225363
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2020-09-13
Monitoring stations: 1