This study analyzed the relationship between land use and water quality in 4 lakes near West Milford, NJ: Greenwood Lake (heavily residential), Upper Greenwood Lake (also heavily residential), Wawayanda Lake (forested and protected), and Surprise Lake (remote and glacial, used as a control). Water samples from each lake were tested for dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, temperature, turbidity, phosphates, nitrates, trace metals, and bacteria. Results showed the residential lakes had higher levels of phosphates, nitrates, and some metals, likely due to runoff from septic systems and impervious surfaces. Buffer zones near lakes generally had the best water quality. The study suggests land use impacts water chemistry