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Flickr user: Plutor South Boston,… · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lakes → New York → Seneca Lake

Seneca Lake

New York · Natural · near Geneva

43,343 acres 618 ft deep 25 ft clarity Water A

Compare

7.4SCORE

Survey summary · New York

43,343

Surface acres

618 ft

Max depth

75 mi

Shoreline

25 ft

Typical clarity

444 ft

Elevation

Photographs of Seneca Lake via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Seneca Lake covers 43,343 acres in New York and drops to 618 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Level is unusually stable, which protects dock usability and shoreline appearance year round. Water clarity averages around 25 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Town rules. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

Exceptional clarity, roughly 25 ft
Very stable water level year-round
Deep water — 618 ft max
Large open water, 43,343 acres
Wineries
Boating

Score breakdown

Water 8.6

Recreation 7.2

Value 5.7

Access 7.3

Investment 7.8

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade

Water A

ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.

Water B

GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.

Water C

FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.

Water D

PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10

8.0+

ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.

7.0–7.9

StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.

6.0–6.9

SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.

5.0–5.9

MixedReal strengths and real compromises.

Under 5

CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Lake troutLandlocked salmonRainbow troutSmallmouth bass

On the water

WineriesBoatingFishingSailing

Live from USGS gauge 04232482. These are direct sensor readings, not estimates.

2.10 ft

Gage height

2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 176 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 503 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 618 ft, average 198 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityNatural Typical drawdown3 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity25 ft Water quality gradeA Elevation444 ft Managing authorityNYS DEC

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityNYS DEC Wake / speed rulesNo-wake within 200ft

A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with NYS DEC that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Town rules

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.

Model rental income →

Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.

$1,220,000

Median waterfront

$1,185

Per shoreline foot

+4.1%

Year over year

119

Est. inventory

Avg days on market

$866

Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy46% Booked nights / yr121 Gross revenue$111,678 Net operating income$57,939 Yield on median price4.75%

Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Seneca Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$9,621

All-in per month

$276,530

Cash to close + setup

$20,388

Beyond P&I, tax, insurance

Where the annual cost goes

Principal & interest $77,135 (68%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $13,420 (12%) Property taxes $12,810 (11%) Hazard insurance $5,124 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (2%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Flood insurance $878 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest	$77,135
Property taxes	$12,810
Hazard insurance	$5,124
Flood insurance	$878
Utilities	$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)	$13,420
Septic service	$520
Well & water testing	$260
Dock maintenance	$900
Winterization / seasonal close	$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve	$960
Total	$115,457

Model your own numbers →

3.0 / 5 from 1 review

Depends heavily on your cove

J. Harmon · Owner on the lake · Summer 2025

3/5

Main channel is fantastic. Some of the back coves get shallow and mucky by late summer. Walk the actual shoreline before you commit, not just the listing photos.