Otter Creek Section Lake
Addison County, VermontView mapDirections
Vermont DEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Otter Creek Section Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Otter Creek Section Lake in Addison County, Vermont has water-quality measurements published by Vermont DEC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L.
Otter Creek Section Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Addison County, Vermont. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Addison County, Otter Creek Section Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Otter Creek Section Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Otter Creek Section Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Otter Creek Section Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Otter Creek Section Lake
These are the measurements Vermont DEC publishes for Otter Creek Section Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 14.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.1 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.1µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Otter Creek Section Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- Converse BayPublic
- Fort CassinPublic
- Lewis CreekPublic
- South SlangPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Otter Creek Section Lake
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Fishing Otter Creek Section Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Otter Creek Section Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation, Other.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit VT04-01L01_01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Addison County
Frequently asked questions about Otter Creek Section Lake
Where is Otter Creek Section Lake?
- Otter Creek Section Lake is a lake in Addison County, Vermont. Its water-quality measurements are published by Vermont DEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Otter Creek Section Lake?
- Otter Creek Section Lake in Addison County, Vermont has water-quality measurements published by Vermont DEC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.1 µg/L.
Is Otter Creek Section Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Otter Creek Section Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Otter Creek Section Lake?
- Otter Creek Section Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Converse Bay, Fort Cassin, Lewis Creek, South Slang. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Otter Creek Section Lake?
- Otter Creek Section Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Vermont's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Otter Creek Section Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
388 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ388 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- EPA approved Alternate Test Procedure for 4500 P H. Has a 28 day hold without acid preservation.
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory