Turtle Cove Lake
Turtle Cove Lake in Sussex County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Turtle Cove Lake →
Turtle Cove Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sussex County, New Jersey. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sussex County, Turtle Cove Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency, last sampled 2020-10-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria advisory
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Turtle Cove Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Turtle Cove Lake in Sussex County, New Jersey — 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 Turtle Cove Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Turtle Cove Lake
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Fishing Turtle Cove Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Turtle Cove Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NJ02020007010010-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.44 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 18 lakes in Sussex County
Nearby Lakes in Sussex County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Cove Lake
Where is Turtle Cove Lake?
- Turtle Cove Lake is a lake in Sussex County, New Jersey. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Turtle Cove Lake?
- Turtle Cove Lake in Sussex County, New Jersey has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L.
Is Turtle Cove Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Turtle Cove Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Explore Turtle Cove Lake across LakeGrade
More New Jersey Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in New Jersey
Eutrophic Lakes in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-21.
Collected and reported by
- Princeton Hydro LLC
PRINCETONHYDRO28 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- 2540 D ~ Total Suspended Solids in Water
- 4500 P B ~ Phosphorus, sample preparation method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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