Shadow Lake
Essex County, VermontView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- #3 of 9 in the county
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Shadow Lake in Essex County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 16.4 ft
- Max depth
- ~42 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 7.3 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.5 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Shadow Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Essex County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 42 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 8 other monitored lakes in Essex County, Shadow Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Shadow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.4 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 16.4 ft down. Phosphorus 7.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.5 µg/L. TSI 35. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~42 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~20 ft est. |
| 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 Shadow 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
- Shadow Lake (Concord)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Shadow Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.15 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.51 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.88 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 9 lakes in Essex County
Nearby Lakes in Essex County
Frequently asked questions about Shadow Lake
Where is Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake is a lake in Essex County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake in Essex County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.3 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L.
Is Shadow Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shadow Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Shadow Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 42 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shadow Lake (Concord). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shadow Lake across LakeQuality
20.8 mi away · 80 ft
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Vermont's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Vermont's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Other Grade A Lakes in Vermont
Oligotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ57 samples · 2021–2025
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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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