Upper Little York Lake is a 150-acre mesotrophic lake in Cortland County, New York. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2020. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Cortland County, Upper Little York Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, New York DNR, last sampled 2020-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B, Good
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | B |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 150 acres |
Where to stay near Upper Little York Lake
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Fishing Upper Little York Lake
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 4 lakes in Cortland County
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Upper Little York Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little York Dam (completed 2015), built primarily for recreation on the WEST BR TIOUGHNIOGA RIVER; concrete-type dam, 7 ft tall and 250 ft long.
- Surface area
- 150 ac
- Normal storage
- 532 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 819 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 32.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- CORTLAND COUNTY
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NY01023 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Little York Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NY0602-0017 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.51 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2020-09-20
Monitoring stations: 1