Shenango River Lake
Mercer County, Pennsylvania3,485 acresView mapDirections
PA DEP publishes the water-quality measurements for Shenango River Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · pH / acidity
- Public access
- Limited data
Shenango River Lake in Mercer County, Pennsylvania has water-quality measurements published by PA DEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 82.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.1 µg/L. Surface area: 3485 acres.
Shenango River Lake is a 3,485-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, PA DEP, last sampled 2026-09-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Shenango River Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Camping5 public campgrounds nearby
- Big water3,485 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Shenango River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shenango River Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Shenango River Lake
These are the measurements PA DEP publishes for Shenango River Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 82.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.1 µg/L.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 82.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 19.1µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Shenango River Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
→ Shenango River Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Lake Details
Surface area
3,485 acres
Shoreline
52.8 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by PA DEP
No bathymetric survey has been published for Shenango River Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Hartford AccessPublic
- Shenango Recreation AreaPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Shenango River Lake
- Shenango Lake Shenango Lakeside Picnic Shelter2.1 kmReserve
- Shenango Rec Area Campground2.3 kmReserve
- Shenango Lake Clark Picnic Shelter3.4 kmReserve
- Shenango Lake Mahaney Spruce Cove Trails End Rolling Meadows Skyline Picnic Shelters4.2 kmReserve
- Shenango Lake Mahaney Outflow Riverview Picnic Shelter4.3 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Shenango River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shenango River Lake in Mercer County, Pennsylvania — 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Shenango River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Shenango River Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Shenango River Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Shenango River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit PA-LRP-05030102001670 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Mercer County
Frequently asked questions about Shenango River Lake
Where is Shenango River Lake?
- Shenango River Lake is a lake in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its water-quality measurements are published by PA DEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shenango River Lake?
- Shenango River Lake in Mercer County, Pennsylvania has water-quality measurements published by PA DEP, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 82.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.1 µg/L. Surface area: 3485 acres.
Is Shenango River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shenango River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pH / acidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Shenango River Lake?
- Shenango River Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hartford Access, Shenango Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Shenango River Lake?
- Shenango River 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 Pennsylvania's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Shenango River Lake?
- Shenango River Lake has 5 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Shenango Lake Shenango Lakeside Picnic Shelter, Shenango Rec Area Campground, Shenango Lake Clark Picnic Shelter, Shenango Lake Mahaney Spruce Cove Trails End Rolling Meadows Skyline Picnic Shelters. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
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Where this data comes from
Measurements for Shenango River Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles