The State of Vermont's Lakes 2026

Cleanest lakes in Vermont

Highest combined water-quality score, 2026.

1. 1.ALake St. Catherine — Rutland County15.4 ft clarity · 13 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.AMalletts Bay Lake — Chittenden County13.8 ft clarity · 10 µg/L P · 4 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.APeacham Pond — Caledonia County15.6 ft clarity · 11 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.AWallingford Pond — Rutland County7.1 ft clarity · 15 µg/L P · 4 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.ABerlin Pond — Washington County21.7 ft clarity · 7 µg/L P · 1 µg/L chl-a
6. 6.ACaspian Lake — Orleans County29.5 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P · 1 µg/L chl-a
7. 7.AHarveys Lake — Caledonia County21.0 ft clarity · 8 µg/L P · 1 µg/L chl-a
8. 8.AMaidstone Lake — Essex County28.5 ft clarity · 7 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.ALake Groton — Caledonia County13.1 ft clarity · 11 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.ARescue Lake — Windsor County15.1 ft clarity · 11 µg/L P · 2 µg/L chl-a

Most-polluted lakes

Lowest combined water-quality score among monitored lakes.

1. 1.FShelburne Pond — Chittenden County1.8 ft clarity · 130 µg/L P · 52 µg/L chl-a
2. 2.DMissisquoi Bay Lake — Franklin County5.6 ft clarity · 43 µg/L P · 12 µg/L chl-a
3. 3.DLake Carmi — Franklin County4.9 ft clarity · 40 µg/L P · 20 µg/L chl-a
4. 4.DSt. Albans Bay Lake — Franklin County6.6 ft clarity · 33 µg/L P · 10 µg/L chl-a
5. 5.DPond Known by Vtdec As Goulds — Windsor County4.3 ft clarity · 35 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a
6. 6.COtter Creek Section Lake — Addison County9.8 ft clarity · 14 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a
7. 7.CValley Lake — Washington County24.4 ft clarity · 17 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
8. 8.CLittle Pond — Rutland County4.9 ft clarity · 16 µg/L P · 3 µg/L chl-a
9. 9.CBurlington Bay Lake — Chittenden County14.8 ft clarity · 11 µg/L P · 5 µg/L chl-a
10. 10.CSouth Bay Lake — Orleans County4.4 ft clarity · 23 µg/L P · 6 µg/L chl-a

Worst algae hotspots

Highest measured chlorophyll-a (algae) concentration.

1. 1.FShelburne Pond — Chittenden County52 µg/L chlorophyll-a
2. 2.NRJerome Lake — Addison County41 µg/L chlorophyll-a
3. 3.DLake Carmi — Franklin County20 µg/L chlorophyll-a

Trending lakes

Improving

1. 1.ALake St. Catherine — Rutland County
2. 2.APeacham Pond — Caledonia County
3. 3.ABerlin Pond — Washington County
4. 4.ACaspian Lake — Orleans County
5. 5.AHarveys Lake — Caledonia County
6. 6.ALake Groton — Caledonia County
7. 7.ARescue Lake — Windsor County
8. 8.ALake Hortonia — Rutland County

Declining

1. 1.DSt. Albans Bay Lake — Franklin County
2. 2.DPond Known by Vtdec As Goulds — Windsor County
3. 3.CBurlington Bay Lake — Chittenden County
4. 4.CPort Henry Section Lake — Addison County
5. 5.CGreat Hosmer Pond — Orleans County
6. 6.CBranch Pond — Bennington County
7. 7.CHardwood Pond — Lamoille County
8. 8.CBourn Pond — Bennington County