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LakeQuality

Queneska Island Lake

Essex County, New YorkView mapDirections

A
Excellent

Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.

Water temp
No reading
No gauge
Clarity
17.4 ft
Secchi · sampled 2022
Level
No reading
No gauge
Trend
Declining
5 years of samples
  • Mesotrophic
  • #1 of 3 in the county
  • Public access

Queneska Island Lake in Essex County, New York has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L.

Clarity
17.4 ft
Type
Mesotrophic
Phosphorus
15 µg/L
Chlorophyll-a
3.4 µg/L
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes
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Queneska Island Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Essex County, New York. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Essex County, Queneska Island Lake ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NYSDEC, last sampled 2022-08-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

What Queneska Island Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Clear water17.4 ft of visibility
  • Boat launch2 documented ramps

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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.

The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Albany

Get alerts for Queneska Island Lake

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Crystal clear, you can see 17.4 ft down. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 41. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)17.4 ftNot graded
Phosphorus15 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)3.4 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)41Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • McCuen SlangPublic
  • Chimney PointPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fishing Queneska Island Lake

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.1 m/yr4
Phosphorus Declining+1.81 µg/L/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Improving-0.77 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Essex County

Nearby Lakes in Essex County

Frequently asked questions about Queneska Island Lake

Where is Queneska Island Lake?

Queneska Island Lake is a lake in Essex County, New York. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Queneska Island Lake?

Queneska Island Lake in Essex County, New York has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L.

Is Queneska Island Lake safe to swim in?

The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Are there boat ramps on Queneska Island Lake?

Queneska Island Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include McCuen Slang, Chimney Point. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation1VTDECWQ29 samples · 2020–2022

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 (1)

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

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory