Oswego Lake
Oswego Lake in Burlington County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Surface area: 89 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Area
- 89 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
Oswego Lake is a 89-acre mesotrophic lake in Burlington County, New Jersey. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Burlington County, Oswego Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2021-10-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 21.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Oswego Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Oswego Lake in Burlington County, New Jersey — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Oswego Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 89 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Oswego Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Fishing Oswego Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Oswego Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Oswego Dam (completed 1936), built primarily for irrigation on the Oswego River; earth-type dam, 13 ft tall and 855 ft long.
- Surface area
- 89 ac
- Normal storage
- 437 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 56.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Division of Parks and Forestry
All listed purposes: Irrigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NJ00046 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 12 lakes in Burlington County
Nearby Lakes in Burlington County
Frequently asked questions about Oswego Lake
Where is Oswego Lake?
- Oswego Lake is a lake in Burlington County, New Jersey. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Oswego Lake?
- Oswego Lake in Burlington County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.2 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Surface area: 89 acres.
Is Oswego Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Oswego Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Oswego Lake across LakeGrade
More New Jersey Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in New Jersey
Mesotrophic Lakes in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
94 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- NJDEP Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring
NJDEP_BFBM94 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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.