Southwest Lake
Halifax, Nova Scotia203 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.
- 53 ft max depth
- Limited data
Southwest Lake in Halifax, 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: 4.5 m visibility. Maximum depth: 52.5 ft. Surface area: 501.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 m
- Max depth
- 16 m
- Area
- 203 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 502-acre lake in Halifax County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 53 feet (19-foot average).
Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 1975-08-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Southwest Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.8 ft of visibility
- Deep water52.5 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 14.8 ft. TSI 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 m | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16 m |
| Average Depth | 5.7 m |
| Surface Area | 203 ha |
Fishing Southwest Lake
Nearby Lakes in Halifax
Frequently asked questions about Southwest Lake
Where is Southwest Lake?
- Southwest Lake is a lake in Halifax, 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 Halifax, 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: 4.5 m visibility. Maximum depth: 52.5 ft. Surface area: 501.9 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 52.5 feet and an average depth of 18.7 feet. The lake covers 501.9 acres.
Explore Southwest Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 1975. 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 · 1975
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
872
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.