Sunset Lake
Rutland County, VermontView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Nuisance exotic species
- #5 of 15 in the county
- 49 ft max depth
Sunset Lake in Rutland County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 36.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 36.1 ft
- Max depth
- ~49 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 8.5 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 1.3 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Watch Sunset Lake’s letter
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Sunset Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Rutland County, Vermont with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 14 other monitored lakes in Rutland County, Sunset Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, VT DEC, last sampled 2025-08-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Sunset Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water36.1 ft of visibility
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sunset Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 36.1 ft down. Phosphorus 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 31. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 36.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 31 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~24 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Vermont has not published bathymetry for Sunset Lake.
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 Sunset Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.071 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.78 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.24 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sunset Lake 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 VT02-02L02_02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.82 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 15 lakes in Rutland County
Nearby Lakes in Rutland County
Frequently asked questions about Sunset Lake
Where is Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake is a lake in Rutland County, Vermont. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake in Rutland County, Vermont has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 36.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L.
Is Sunset Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Sunset Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4C) for nuisance exotic species. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Sunset Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Sunset Lake, 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.
Explore Sunset Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Vermont's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
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Other Grade A Lakes in Vermont
Oligotrophic Lakes in Vermont
Where this data comes from
95 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Vermont Dept of Environmental Conservation
1VTDECWQ95 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- EPA approved Alternate Test Procedure for 4500 P H. Has a 28 day hold without acid preservation.
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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)