Lake McCoy
Lake McCoy is a very deep (61 feet) sandy bottomed, clear, 'ridge' type lake located to the east of US 27 south of the Town of Lake Placid. Based on Lakewatch data, water quality in Lake McCoy is very good, though nitrogen levels are occasionally slightly high. Phosphorus levels in Lake McCoy range from only 3 to 9 ppb (parts per billion) and average a very low 4 ppb. Nitrogen levels range from 460 to 1450 ppb and average 926 ppb. Algae populations, as estimated by the concentration of chlorophyll in the water, are quite low as a result of the low nutrient levels found here. Chlorophyll values range from only 1 to 4 ppb, averaging 2 ppb. The relatively low algae populations result in increased water clarity, which is measured by the depth to which a standardized 'secchi' disc can be seen when lowered into the water. Secchi depths range from 10 to 33 feet and average 18 feet, making Lake McCoy among the clearest lakes in the county. No long term changes in water quality can be determined from the limited amount of recent data available. Click here to view water quality data by year.
Historic aerial photo gallery 1944-2002