Franklin County Lake Quality
Virginia, 15 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Franklin County's 15 monitored lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Virginia. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. 12 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. With an average grade of B, Franklin County sits comfortably above the Virginia median.
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. Lower Blackwater River Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Franklin County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lower Blackwater River Lake — or check the official Virginia fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Franklin County
15 lakes · 12 graded, 3 not rated12 graded lakes · 3 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALower Blackwater River LakeFranklin | A | 12.1 ft | 10 µg/L | 2.3 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 2 | ADam LakeFranklin | A | 12.1 ft | 10 µg/L | 1.7 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 3 | AGoose Point LakeFranklin | A | 10.2 ft | 10 µg/L | 1.5 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 4 | ACool Branch LakeFranklin | A | 10.5 ft | 10 µg/L | 2.1 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 5 | AMouth of Bull Run LakeFranklin | A | 10.2 ft | 10 µg/L | 2.1 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 6 | CHardy Ford LakeFranklin | C | 3 ft | 40 µg/L | 5.5 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 7 | CMcveigh Ford LakeFranklin | C | 3.9 ft | 30 µg/L | 0.6 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 8 | CMiddle Blackwater River LakeFranklin | C | 5.9 ft | 20 µg/L | 5.6 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 9 | CHales Ford LakeFranklin | C | 4.9 ft | 20 µg/L | 8.8 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 10 | CConfl. Indian Cr. LakeFranklin | C | 4.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 11.2 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 11 | CGills Creek LakeFranklin | C | 6.2 ft | 20 µg/L | 4.6 µg/L | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 12 | DUpper Blackwater River LakeFranklin | D | 3 ft | 40 µg/L | 17.3 µg/L | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRSmith Mountain LakeFranklin | NR | 7 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRCove LakeFranklin | NR | 10.2 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRHab Sample Off Buck Run Point LakeFranklin | NR | 8.2 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
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Other Counties in Virginia
See how Franklin County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.