Amherst County Lake Quality
Virginia, 8 lakes, measured by Virginia DEQ
Amherst County holds 8 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 5 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county's readings sit in the middle of the Virginia range, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow, under 50 feet, which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Pedlar River Reservoir has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Amherst County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Pedlar River Reservoir — or check the official Virginia fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Amherst County
8 lakes · 5 ranked on readings, 3 without enough sampling5 lakes ranked on readings · 3 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pedlar River ReservoirAmherst | 7.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 5.5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | Northeast Arm of Mill Creek LakeAmherst | 4.1 ft | 20 µg/L | 11.5 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | Mill Cr ReservoirAmherst | 3.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 18.7 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 4 | Mill Creek ReservoirAmherst | 3.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 15.5 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 5 | North Arm of Mill Creek LakeAmherst | 3.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 14.1 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| Thrasher LakeAmherst | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Elon Water Works ReservoirAmherst | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Early LakeAmherst | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. See data sources.