Rainbow Pond
Rainbow Pond in Hartford County, Connecticut is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 234.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.3 ft
- Area
- 235 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Why Rainbow Pond has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Rainbow Pond, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by your state environmental agency and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Rainbow Pond is a 235-acre lake in Hartford County, Connecticut. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2024-10-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Rainbow Pond
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6.3 ft. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rainbow Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rainbow Pond in Hartford County, Connecticut — 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 Rainbow Pond
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 235 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Rainbow Pond, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Rainbow ReservoirPublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Rainbow Pond
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rainbow Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rainbow Reservoir Dam (completed 1925), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Farmington River; earth-type dam, 43 ft tall and 1,310 ft long.
- Surface area
- 234.5 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,800 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 588 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- The Farmington River Power Co.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID CT00039 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Rainbow Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit CT4300-00-5+L5_01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.59 km)
Graded lakes near Rainbow Pond
Rainbow Pond has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hartford County
Frequently asked questions about Rainbow Pond
Where is Rainbow Pond?
- Rainbow Pond is a lake in Hartford County, Connecticut. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Rainbow Pond?
- Rainbow Pond in Hartford County, Connecticut is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Surface area: 234.5 acres.
Is Rainbow Pond safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Rainbow Pond is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Rainbow Pond?
- Rainbow Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rainbow Reservoir. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rainbow Pond across LakeGrade
More Connecticut Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Connecticut
Eutrophic Lakes in Connecticut
Where this data comes from
495 measurements from 6 monitoring stations, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS461 samples · 2021–2023 - CT DEEP Volunteer Water Monitoring Program (Volunteer)
CTVOLMON34 samples · 2024
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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