Stiles Pond
Essex County, Massachusetts60 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae run above the regional average.
↓ down from C at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
- #6 of 7 in the county
- 49 ft max depth
- Limited data
Stiles Pond in Essex County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.6 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
- Max depth
- ~49 ft est.
- Area
- 60 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 12.6 µg/L
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Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stiles Pond in Essex County, Massachusetts — 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Stiles Pond are listed below.
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Watch Stiles Pond’s letter
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Stiles Pond is a 60-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Essex County, Massachusetts with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2017. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Essex County, Stiles Pond ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2017-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Stiles Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 12.6 µg/L. TSI 55. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 60 acres |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Massachusetts has not published bathymetry for Stiles Pond.
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.
Fishing Stiles Pond
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Stiles Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Stiles Pond Dam (completed 1920), built primarily for recreation on the Tributary to Fish Brook; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 170 ft long.
- Surface area
- 60 ac
- Normal storage
- 490 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Town of Boxford
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MA00158 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Stiles Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MA92032 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.95 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 7 lakes in Essex County
Nearby Lakes in Essex County
Frequently asked questions about Stiles Pond
Where is Stiles Pond?
- Stiles Pond is a lake in Essex County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Stiles Pond?
- Stiles Pond in Essex County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.6 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
Is Stiles Pond safe to swim in?
- The D is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Stiles Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Stiles Pond?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Stiles Pond, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 49 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 60 acres.
Explore Stiles Pond across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Massachusetts's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
MASSDEP3 samples · 2017
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)