Where is West Branch Lake?

West Branch Lake is a lake in Pictou, Nova Scotia. Its water-quality measurements are published by NSECC and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is West Branch Lake?

West Branch Lake has a maximum depth of 16.4 feet and an average depth of 6.6 feet. The lake covers 112.4 acres.

West Branch Lake

Pictou, Nova Scotia45 haView map Directions

NSECC publishes the water-quality measurements for West Branch Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

0.9 m

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2002

Phosphorus

6 µg/L

Typical for Nova Scotia

Measured by NSECC

Chlorophyll-a

1.7 µg/L

Typical for Nova Scotia

Measured by NSECC

Max depth

5 m

Bathymetric survey

Area

45 ha

Surface area

16 ft max depth
Limited data

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

West Branch Lake in Pictou, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.9 m visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16.4 ft. Surface area: 112.4 acres.

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West Branch Lake is a 112-acre lake in Pictou County, Nova Scotia with a maximum depth of 16 feet (7-foot average).

Source: Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change — not the EPA Water Quality Portal, last sampled 2002-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Swimming conditions

No reading

Limited data

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether West Branch Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for West Branch Lake

These are the measurements NSECC publishes for West Branch Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.7 µg/L. TSI 42.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	0.9m	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	6µg/L	Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential.
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	1.7µg/L	Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	42	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about West Branch Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

5 m

Average depth

2 m

Surface area

45 ha

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Fishing West Branch Lake

→ West Branch Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Nearby Lakes in Pictou

Piper'S Lake2.9 m clear1 miView →Elbow Lake2.4 m clear1.3 miView →Fish Lake2.8 m clear1.4 miView →Perch Lake3 m clear1.9 miView →Long Lake2.7 m clear1.9 miView →Maple Lake3.8 m clear2.7 miView →

Frequently asked questions about West Branch Lake

Where is West Branch Lake?: West Branch Lake is a lake in Pictou, Nova Scotia. Its water-quality measurements are published by NSECC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of West Branch Lake?: West Branch Lake in Pictou, Nova Scotia has water-quality measurements published by NSECC, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.9 m visibility. Phosphorus: 6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16.4 ft. Surface area: 112.4 acres.
Is West Branch Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is West Branch Lake?: West Branch Lake has a maximum depth of 16.4 feet and an average depth of 6.6 feet. The lake covers 112.4 acres.