Is Maidstone Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Maidstone Lake in Essex County, Vermont carries a swim caution. Satellite imagery measured 38,828 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 0.3 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Maidstone Lake is a lake in Essex County, Vermont covering about 1.2 sq mi, the 15th-largest of the 26 lakes SwimZone monitors in Vermont. Satellite imagery measured 38,828 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, Maidstone Lake 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 Maidstone Lake right now?

Maidstone Lake carries a swim caution today. Satellite imagery measured 38,828 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 Maidstone Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

Low levels. Satellite monitoring measured 38,828 cells/mL at Maidstone Lake 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 Maidstone Lake?

Use caution. Blue-green algae at Maidstone Lake are elevated (38,828 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 Maidstone Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Maidstone Lake 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 Maidstone Lake'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 Maidstone Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.