Wankinco River Lake
Plymouth County, Massachusetts105 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Pathogens (E. coli, fecal)
- #6 of 12 in the county
- 13 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wankinco River Lake in Plymouth County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Surface area: 105 acres.
- Max depth
- ~13 ft est.
- Area
- 105 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Chlorophyll-a
- 3.8 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Wankinco River Lake’s letter
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Wankinco River Lake is a 105-acre mesotrophic lake in Plymouth County, Massachusetts with an estimated average depth of about 13 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2018. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Plymouth County, Wankinco River Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP, last sampled 2018-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wankinco River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
No clarity data. Chlorophyll-a 3.8 µg/L. TSI 44. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~8 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 105 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Massachusetts has not published bathymetry for Wankinco River 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 Wankinco River Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wankinco River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Parker Mills Pond Dam, built primarily for recreation on the Wankinko River; earth-type dam, 19 ft tall and 415 ft long.
- Surface area
- 105 ac
- Normal storage
- 350 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 990 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- A.D. Makepeace Company;Town of Wareham
All listed purposes: Recreation;Irrigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MA00150 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.23 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Wankinco River Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MA95-50 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 12 lakes in Plymouth County
Nearby Lakes in Plymouth County
Frequently asked questions about Wankinco River Lake
Where is Wankinco River Lake?
- Wankinco River Lake is a lake in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wankinco River Lake?
- Wankinco River Lake in Plymouth County, Massachusetts has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Surface area: 105 acres.
Is Wankinco River Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Wankinco River Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for pathogens (E. coli, fecal). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Wankinco River Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wankinco River Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 13 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 105 acres.
Explore Wankinco River Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Planning a trip around Cape Cod?
Wankinco River Lake is about 37 miles from Cape Cod National Seashore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Cape Cod →More Massachusetts Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Massachusetts
Mesotrophic Lakes in Massachusetts
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2018. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
MASSDEP3 samples · 2018
Analytical methods
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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)