Is Little Averill Pond safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Little Averill Pond in Essex County, Vermont carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 30,944 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 18, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.9 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Little Averill Pond is a pond in Essex County, Vermont covering about 0.7 sq mi, the 21st-largest of the 26 lakes SwimZone monitors in Vermont. Satellite imagery measured 30,944 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 18, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Little Averill Pond has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

Is it safe to swim in Little Averill Pond right now?

Little Averill Pond carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 30,944 cells/mL of blue-green algae on July 18, 2026, elevated but below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Little Averill Pond have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 30,944 cells/mL at Little Averill Pond on July 18, 2026, below the 100,000 cells/mL advisory threshold. Keep an eye out for surface scum, which can concentrate quickly.

Can dogs swim in Little Averill Pond?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Little Averill Pond are elevated (30,944 cells/mL on July 18, 2026). Dogs are far more sensitive to cyanobacteria than people, so keep them out of the water and away from surface scum.

How often does Little Averill Pond have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Little Averill Pond has not reached a blue-green algae advisory level. Conditions can still change quickly, so check the current read before you swim.

How many Vermont lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 3 Vermont waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 2 more warrant caution, out of 29 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Little Averill Pond's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Little Averill Pond, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.