Shaw Big Lake
Halifax, Nova Scotia79 haView mapDirections
NSECC publishes the water-quality measurements for Shaw Big Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 36 ft max depth
- Limited data
Shaw Big Lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 m visibility. Maximum depth: 36.1 ft. Surface area: 194.5 acres.
Shaw Big Lake is a 195-acre lake in Halifax County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 36 feet (12-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1988-08-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Shaw Big Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water36.1 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shaw Big Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Shaw Big Lake
These are the measurements NSECC publishes for Shaw Big Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.2m | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Shaw Big Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
11 m
Average depth
3.6 m
Surface area
79 ha
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Shaw Big Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shaw Big Lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia — 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 Shaw Big Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Follow Shaw Big Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Shaw Big Lake
Nearby Lakes in Halifax
Frequently asked questions about Shaw Big Lake
Where is Shaw Big Lake?
- Shaw Big Lake is a lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its water-quality measurements are published by NSECC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shaw Big Lake?
- Shaw Big Lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 m visibility. Maximum depth: 36.1 ft. Surface area: 194.5 acres.
Is Shaw Big Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shaw Big Lake?
- Shaw Big Lake has a maximum depth of 36.1 feet and an average depth of 11.8 feet. The lake covers 194.5 acres.
Explore Shaw Big Lake across LakeQuality
More lakes in Nova Scotia
Other Lakes in Nova Scotia
Mesotrophic Lakes in Nova Scotia
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 1988. Retrieved from Nova Scotia open data (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.
Collected and reported by
- NS Dept. of Fisheries
NS Dept. of Fisheries1 sample · 1988
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
186
Canadian lakes are published with the measurements their provincial programme reports. See where the data comes from and data sources.