Southwest Lake
Guysborough, Nova Scotia30 haView mapDirections
No A–F letter for this lake. The letter is scored against EPA reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and those stop at the US border. Here is what has been measured.
- 46 ft max depth
- Limited data
Southwest Lake in Guysborough, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC and no A–F letter. The letter's EPA reference conditions stop at the US border. Water clarity: 3.9 m visibility. Maximum depth: 45.9 ft. Surface area: 72.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.9 m
- Max depth
- 14 m
- Area
- 30 ha
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Why Southwest Lake has no A–F letter
The LakeQuality letter is scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and those stop at the US border. There is no reference condition for Nova Scotia, so the scale cannot be applied to Southwest Lake at any level of sampling. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
This is not a gap in the monitoring record. NSECC publishes these measurements directly, and everything below that has been measured is reported on this page as NSECC reports it.
Monitoring: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change. Read the full grading methodology.
Southwest Lake is a 73-acre lake in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 46 feet (14-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1974-07-02. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Southwest Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.8 ft of visibility
- Deep water45.9 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Southwest Lake
These are the measurements NSECC publishes for Southwest Lake. No A–F letter applies here: see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. TSI 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 m | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 m |
| Average Depth | 4.4 m |
| Surface Area | 30 ha |
Fishing Southwest Lake
Nearby Lakes in Guysborough
Frequently asked questions about Southwest Lake
Where is Southwest Lake?
- Southwest Lake is a lake in Guysborough, Nova Scotia. Its water-quality measurements are published by NSECC, and it carries no A–F letter, because no reference condition exists for lakes in this region, so the assessment thresholds behind the A–F scale cannot be applied here.
What is the water quality grade for Southwest Lake?
- Southwest Lake in Guysborough, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC and no A–F letter. The letter's EPA reference conditions stop at the US border. Water clarity: 3.9 m visibility. Maximum depth: 45.9 ft. Surface area: 72.9 acres.
Is Southwest Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Southwest Lake?
- Southwest Lake has a maximum depth of 45.9 feet and an average depth of 14.4 feet. The lake covers 72.9 acres.
Explore Southwest Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 1974. Retrieved from Nova Scotia open data (not the EPA Water Quality Portal) on 2026-08-16.
Collected and reported by
- Lands and Forests
Lands and Forests1 sample · 1974
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
949
Canadian lakes are published with the measurements their provincial programme reports, and without a LakeQuality A–F letter. The letter is scored against EPA reference conditions for a lake’s ecoregion, and the EPA does not survey these lakes. See how grades are calculated and data sources.