From News Desk
Lake.com, has unveiled the findings of its newly released 2025 report ranking “America’s Cleanest and Dirtiest Lakes.” The comprehensive study, which evaluates 100 of the largest US lakes using up-to-date chemical data, confirms Lake Superior as the cleanest, while Lake Okeechobee tops the list of lakes on the opposite side of the spectrum.
Key Highlights
• Lake Superior is the United States’ cleanest lake.
• Lake Okeechobee is the dirtiest lake in the US today.
• Out of the 100 largest lakes in America, 46 had up-to-date chemical composition data.
The study analysed all the available chemical data from the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) for 100 of America’s largest lakes, sampled from January 1st, 2020, until July 15th, 2025. The researchers evaluated eight of the most commonly measured characteristics that can suggest a lake’s cleanliness level – dissolved oxygen, ammonia, lead, phosphorus, sulfate, total dissolved solids, turbidity and pH. They found 46 lakes to have at least three of these pollution factors measured within the indicated period.
Cleanest Lakes
• Lake Superior stands out as the nation’s cleanest lake, showcasing exceptionally clear, healthy water with oxygen levels at 10.45 mg/L, turbidity at a mere 0.46 NTU, and total dissolved solids of just 44.04 mg/L.
• Close contenders such as Lake Chelan and Lake Hartwell also performed remarkably well, underlining the trend toward excellent water quality among America’s largest lakes.
• Overall, the report finds that many of the largest US lakes maintain balanced pH levels (average 7.96), healthy dissolved oxygen (7.29 mg/L) and moderate turbidity (9.54 NTU).
“As part of our mission to foster sustainable enjoyment and awareness of lake environments, we’re proud to bring further clarity to America’s largest freshwater bodies,” said David Ciccarelli, CEO, Lake.com. “Accurate, respectful reporting, like the one in our 2025 Cleanest and Dirtiest Lakes report, enables communities to see where progress is thriving; and where collaboration can drive positive change.”
Having grown up on the cleanest lake’s Canadian shores, Ciccarelli adds, “Lake Superior truly lives up to its name – its crystal-clear, oxygen-rich waters make it America’s cleanest large lake.”
Dirtiest Lakes
• Lake Okeechobee, Florida, was named the dirtiest of the 100 evaluated, with lead contamination at 0.67 µg/L, turbidity of 34.36 NTU, and elevated phosphorus levels of 0.18 mg/L—a combination that contributes to murky appearance and potentially stimulates algae growth.
• Other lakes that ranked lower on the cleanliness scale include American Falls Reservoir (Idaho), due to detectable ammonia levels; Lake Texoma (Oklahoma–Texas), with low oxygen and high sulfate and dissolved solids; and Pyramid Lake (Nevada), with exceptionally high TDS and pH deviation.
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