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LakeQuality

Pataganset Lake

New London County, Connecticut120 acresView mapDirections

CT DEEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Pataganset Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Phosphorus
20 µg/L
Typical for Connecticut
Measured by CT DEEP
Chlorophyll-a
7.6 µg/L
More algae than most
Measured by CT DEEP
Area
120 acres
Surface area
Type
Mesotrophic
Trophic class
  • Mesotrophic
  • Limited data

Pataganset Lake in New London County, Connecticut has water-quality measurements published by CT DEEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Surface area: 120 acres.

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Pataganset Lake is a 120-acre mesotrophic lake in New London County, Connecticut. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in New London County, Pataganset Lake ranks #9 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2023-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Limited data

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. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Pataganset Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Pataganset Lake

These are the measurements CT DEEP publishes for Pataganset Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.6 µg/L. TSI 49.

Water quality readings
MeasureReadingWhere it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)No reading

How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.

Total phosphorus20µg/LFair
GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)7.6µg/LMeasured, not scored

The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.

Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.49Mesotrophic
OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

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Lake Details

Surface area

120 acres

No bathymetric survey has been published for Pataganset Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

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Stays near Pataganset Lake

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Fishing Pataganset Lake

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Pataganset Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pataguanset Lake Dam (completed 1942), built primarily for recreation on the Pataguanset River; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 210 ft long.

Surface area
120 ac
Normal storage
310 ac-ft
Max storage
950 ac-ft
Drainage area
3.91 sq mi
Hazard class
High
Owner
Connecticut DEEP

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CT00159 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.56 km)

Nearby Lakes in New London County

Frequently asked questions about Pataganset Lake

Where is Pataganset Lake?

Pataganset Lake is a lake in New London County, Connecticut. Its water-quality measurements are published by CT DEEP and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water quality of Pataganset Lake?

Pataganset Lake in New London County, Connecticut has water-quality measurements published by CT DEEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Surface area: 120 acres.

Measurements on this page ↑

Is Pataganset Lake safe to swim in?

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Swimming on this page ↑

Where this data comes from

10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.

Collected and reported by

  • Connecticut Department Of Energy And Environmental ProtectionCT_DEP01_WQX10 samples · 2023

Analytical methods

  • Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
  • 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
  • Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
  • Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

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.