Otter Lake
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia6 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.
- 10 ft max depth
- Limited data
Otter Lake in Cape Breton, 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. Phosphorus: 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.8 ft. Surface area: 13.6 acres.
- Max depth
- 3 m
- Area
- 6 ha
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Why Otter 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 Otter Lake at any level of sampling. Sampling here has recorded phosphorus, but not water clarity 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.
Otter Lake is a 14-acre lake in Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 10 feet (3-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1986-09-29. 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 Otter Lake
These are the measurements NSECC publishes for Otter Lake. No A–F letter applies here: see why.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 2 µg/L. TSI 14.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 2 µg/L | Measured, not scored |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 14 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 3 m |
| Average Depth | 0.8 m |
| Surface Area | 6 ha |
Fishing Otter Lake
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Frequently asked questions about Otter Lake
Where is Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake is a lake in Cape Breton, 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 Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake in Cape Breton, 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. Phosphorus: 2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.8 ft. Surface area: 13.6 acres.
Is Otter Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake has a maximum depth of 9.8 feet and an average depth of 2.6 feet. The lake covers 13.6 acres.
Explore Otter Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 1986. Retrieved from Nova Scotia open data (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.
Collected and reported by
- Lands and Forests, NSDOE
Lands and Forests, NSDOE1 sample · 1986
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
84
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.