Updated Jul 2026
New York Lake Water Quality
Water quality grades for 189 monitored lakes across 48 counties.
Across New York, 189 lakes carry an active water-quality grade spread over 48 counties. The underlying measurements come from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, alongside federal programs and volunteer monitoring networks. Roughly 32% of the state's graded lakes carry an A — 60 lakes that earn the top bracket on the combined Secchi/phosphorus/chlorophyll-a rubric. That share is high by national standards and reflects the depth and natural clarity of glacial lakes in the region.
Most New York lakes sit in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, decent clarity, capable of supporting both warm-water and cool-water fisheries. This is the band where well-managed working lakes tend to land. St. Lawrence ranks highest on average county grade (A). Orange sits lowest. With only 48 counties in the state, the cross-county spread is narrower than the within-county spread for most lakes.
Grade Distribution
How New York’s 189 graded lakes break down from A (excellent) to F.
Top-Graded New York Lakes
The highest water-quality grades in New York — clarity, depth, and A-F grade at a glance.
Blue Mtn Lake
Hamilton County, New York
See grade for Blue Mtn Lake →Brant Lake
Warren County, New York
See grade for Brant Lake →Loon Lake
Steuben County, New York
See grade for Loon Lake →Lake George
Warren County, New York
See grade for Lake George →Lake Placid
Essex County, New York
See grade for Lake Placid →Bradley Brook Reservoir
Madison County, New York
See grade for Bradley Brook Reservoir →Friends Lake
Warren County, New York
See grade for Friends Lake →Canandaigua Lake
Ontario County, New York
See grade for Canandaigua Lake →Oquaga Lake
Broome County, New York
See grade for Oquaga Lake →Lake Map
Explore New York Lakes
New York reports, fishing & travel
New York's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked A–F
Fish species and top-graded lakes across New York
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New York's top lakes, each with its grade
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Syracuse
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Rochester
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Albany
Reservoirs in New York
View all 60 reservoirs →60 of 189 New York lakes (32%) are man-made reservoirs in the USACE National Inventory of Dams. 36 carry a High or Significant hazard rating. The oldest matched dam dates to 1820.
EPA-Impaired Lakes in New York
View all 99 impaired lakes →99 of 189 New York lakes (52%) are officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the most recent EPA ATTAINS reporting cycle. 35 have an approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) restoration plan.
New York Fishing & Recreation
Licenses, regulations, records, and where to fish across New York.
Counties
All 48 New York counties, ranked by average lake water quality. Compare them against every county nationwide in the county rankings, browse the full directory of graded lakes, or pick a different state.
New York Lake Water Quality Dataset (2026)
Every graded New York lake in one spreadsheet — A–F grade, water clarity, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, trophic state, size, public access, and a link to each lake's report card.
Top 25 Cleanest Lakes
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mtn Lake | Hamilton | A | 21 ft |
| 2 | Brant Lake | Warren | A | 16.4 ft |
| 3 | Loon Lake | Steuben | A | 14.8 ft |
| 4 | Lake George | Warren | A | 26.7 ft |
| 5 | Lake Placid | Essex | A | 23.1 ft |
| 6 | Bradley Brook Reservoir | Madison | A | 20.7 ft |
| 7 | Friends Lake | Warren | A | 16.3 ft |
| 8 | Canandaigua Lake | Ontario | A | 17.6 ft |
| 9 | Oquaga Lake | Broome | A | 26.2 ft |
| 10 | Eagle Lake | Essex | A | 24.3 ft |
| 11 | Glen Lake | Warren | A | 16 ft |
| 12 | Lake Petonia | Chenango | A | 20.2 ft |
| 13 | Deruyter Reservoir | Madison | A | 17.6 ft |
| 14 | Main Section Lake | Essex | A | 15.7 ft |
| 15 | Lake Sunnyside | Warren | A | 17.8 ft |
| 16 | Chenango Lake | Chenango | A | 16.6 ft |
| 17 | Anawanda Lake | Sullivan | A | 18.4 ft |
| 18 | Keuka Lake | Yates | A | 23.6 ft |
| 19 | Lincoln Pond | Essex | A | 15.1 ft |
| 20 | Lake Bonaparte | Lewis | A | 15.8 ft |
| 21 | Skaneateles Lake | Onondaga | A | 27.4 ft |
| 22 | Mirror Lake | Essex | A | 22.6 ft |
| 23 | Lake Luzerne | Warren | A | 17.1 ft |
| 24 | Burden Lake | Rensselaer | A | 14.8 ft |
| 25 | Lake Moraine | Madison | A | 20.3 ft |
25 Lakes Needing Attention
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenwood Lake | Orange | F | 3.1 ft |
| 2 | Svp Lake | Chautauqua | F | 2.8 ft |
| 3 | Cheneypoint Lake | Chautauqua | F | 3.1 ft |
| 4 | Dutchhollow Lake | Chautauqua | F | 2.4 ft |
| 5 | Bridgesouth Lake | Chautauqua | F | 3 ft |
| 6 | Lakewood | Chautauqua | F | 1.9 ft |
| 7 | Lake Lucille | Rockland | F | 2.3 ft |
| 8 | Java Lake | Wyoming | F | 2.1 ft |
| 9 | Lake Lacoma | Monroe | F | 3 ft |
| 10 | Deer River Flow Lake | Franklin | F | 3.3 ft |
| 11 | Buckingham Lake | Albany | F | 2.5 ft |
| 12 | Howlands Lake | Westchester | F | 3.1 ft |
| 13 | Truitt Pond | Chenango | F | 3.2 ft |
| 14 | Lake Lincolndale | Westchester | F | 2.8 ft |
| 15 | Orange Lake | Orange | F | 2.4 ft |
| 16 | Lk Ontario Lake | Monroe | D | - |
| 17 | Longpoint Lake | Chautauqua | D | 3.9 ft |
| 18 | Biginlet Lake | Chautauqua | D | 6.2 ft |
| 19 | Lucilleballpark Lake | Chautauqua | D | 4.2 ft |
| 20 | Jamesville Reservoir | Onondaga | D | 5.3 ft |
| 21 | Stissing Pond | Dutchess | D | 5.9 ft |
| 22 | Duane Lake | Schenectady | D | 3.8 ft |
| 23 | Lake Carmel | Putnam | D | 5.6 ft |
| 24 | Plymouth Reservoir | Chenango | D | 6.2 ft |
| 25 | Seven Hills Lake | Putnam | D | 4.8 ft |
Where to stay near New York
Top-rated places to stay near New York
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to New York?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near New York — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.