Rescue Lake
Windsor County, Vermont180 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- #1 of 8 in the county
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
Rescue Lake in Windsor County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 180 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~38 ft est.
- Area
- 180 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 10.7 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 2.2 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Rescue Lake’s letter
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Rescue Lake is a 180-acre mesotrophic lake in Windsor County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 38 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Windsor County, Rescue Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Rescue Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow 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.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 38. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~38 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~19 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 180 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Vermont has not published bathymetry for Rescue Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Lake RescuePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Rescue Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.019 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.95 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.46 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rescue Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Rescue (completed 1978), built primarily for recreation on the Black River; concrete-type dam, 14 ft tall and 440 ft long.
- Surface area
- 180 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,550 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 35.72 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- TOWN OF LUDLOW
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID VT00109 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 8 lakes in Windsor County
Nearby Lakes in Windsor County
Frequently asked questions about Rescue Lake
Where is Rescue Lake?
- Rescue Lake is a lake in Windsor County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Rescue Lake?
- Rescue Lake in Windsor County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Surface area: 180 acres.
Is Rescue Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Rescue Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Rescue Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 38 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 180 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Rescue Lake?
- Rescue Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Rescue. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rescue Lake across LakeQuality
More Vermont Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Vermont
Mesotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
85 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ85 samples · 2020–2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory