Queneska Island Lake
Essex County, New YorkView mapDirections
NY DEC publishes the water-quality measurements for Queneska Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Queneska Island Lake in Essex County, New York has water-quality measurements published by NY DEC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L.
Queneska Island Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Essex County, New York. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
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 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. Queneska Island 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 Queneska Island Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Queneska Island Lake
These are the measurements NY DEC publishes for Queneska Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.4 ft down. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Queneska Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Recreation & Access
- McCuen SlangPublic
- Chimney PointPublic
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 Queneska Island Lake
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Fishing Queneska Island Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.81 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.77 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Queneska Island 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: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NY1000-0004 · Official waterbody report
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. Its water-quality measurements are published by NY DEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Queneska Island Lake?
- Queneska Island Lake in Essex County, New York has water-quality measurements published by NY DEC, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Queneska Island 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 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.
Can I fish at Queneska Island Lake?
- Queneska Island Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by New York's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Queneska Island Lake across LakeQuality
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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 Conservation
1VTDECWQ29 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)
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