Pohatcong Lake
Pohatcong Lake in Ocean County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Surface area: 37 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Area
- 37 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Pohatcong Lake is a 37-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Ocean County, New Jersey. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 8 public boat landings. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Ocean County, Pohatcong Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2021-11-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 9.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pohatcong Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pohatcong Lake in Ocean 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 Pohatcong Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 37 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Pohatcong Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Parkertown MunicipalPublic
- Skinner's Marina, TuckertonPublic
- a marinaPublic
- a marinaPublic
- Tuckerton Marine Service StationSemi-private
- Sheltered Cove MarinaSemi-private
Showing 6 of 8 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Pohatcong Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pohatcong Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pohatcong Lake Dam (completed 1931), built primarily for recreation on the Tuckerton Creek; earth-type dam, 9 ft tall and 670 ft long.
- Surface area
- 37 ac
- Normal storage
- 87 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 12.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- NJDOT
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NJ00504 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pohatcong Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NJ02040301140030-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.66 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 6 lakes in Ocean County
Nearby Lakes in Ocean County
Frequently asked questions about Pohatcong Lake
Where is Pohatcong Lake?
- Pohatcong Lake is a lake in Ocean 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 Pohatcong Lake?
- Pohatcong Lake in Ocean County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Surface area: 37 acres.
Is Pohatcong Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pohatcong Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pohatcong Lake?
- Pohatcong Lake has 8 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Parkertown Municipal, Skinner's Marina, Tuckerton, a marina, a marina, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pohatcong Lake across LakeGrade
More New Jersey Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in New Jersey
Oligotrophic Lakes in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 2 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_BFBM50 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory